Is It Wrong For A Godslayer To Have A Harem Of Goddesses?
by Paulzies
Summary: Kusanagi Godou just wanted to have the quiet, peaceful life he didn't manage to get in his past world. But who was he kidding? When there was a Dungeon full of monsters, beautiful goddesses, and animal-girls, there was no way that was going to happen. Still, the Gods here were way more friendly than the Gods he'd met in the past. Maybe just a little too friendly.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Can't believe this isn't a thing yet. Or if it is, lemme know!**

* * *

 **Prologue: Arrival**

It should have, and would have, been an ordinary day for the citizens of Orario. But people realized that things were not quite right when the earth began to tremble.

It wasn't an earthquake. It felt... different. An aura of rage and repulsion permeated through the ground beneath their feet and instantly they knew that the Dungeon that lived below them was involved in one way or another. The shaking did not stop, getting stronger with every moment. A low, moan-like sound reverberated from the underground caverns, sending waves of despair and agony towards the surface.

Citizens began to panic, and even the most seasoned adventurers seemed at a loss. The Dungeon had always been known to be a sentient, living entity, but such behavior was more than unprecedented. It was terrifying, and anyone who had ventured within knew that something groundbreaking was happening.

 **XXXXXXXX**

A goddess of family and hearth, reduced to a street-side seller, stopped when the wave of power washed over her, causing every hair on her body to stand. Her worries for building a Familia and improving her financial status were suddenly pushed to the back of her mind as she recognized the disturbing sensation. Who would dare?

The lady of tricksters stopped speaking mid-sentence, going completely pale when she experienced the unsettling feeling. The humorous facade she wore for her Familia dropped for a moment as her eyes narrowed in concentration. This... would definitely need some investigating.

The self-proclaimed Queen of Orario, sitting on her throne overlooking the city, felt every single muscle in her body tense as she basked in the aura of greatness. She felt the ecstasy build up within her as she began to comprehend the true depth of the power she was sensing, and couldn't resist but to let out a moan. It was beautiful, and she was determined to find its origin.

The goddess of the forge froze, her hammer just inches away from delivering the final strike to her latest project. It couldn't be. They couldn't have. It was against the rules, it was reckless and dangerous, and it would endanger everybody on the same floor as that idiot. She clenched her teeth, throwing a wistful look at her nearly-completed weapon as she dashed out of her workshop to make her way to the Emergency Denatus that was certain to be called.

No God in Orario had failed to sense the surge of energy. No God had underestimated its significance. No God was looking forward to what was coming next. The evocation of their Arcana was as serious a crime could get, and nobody wanted to be expelled back to Heaven.

 **XXXXXXXXX**

A week passed, and nothing of note happened. Nobody knew what had happened, and an expedition to the lower floors was already being prepared by the Loki Familia to investigate.

The hastily-called Denatus had been fruitless, degenerating into a finger-pointing session within minutes. Every God had turned up, even those who didn't actually care about mortal affairs, for they knew just how incriminating their absences could be. In the end, they had quickly come to two possible conclusions.

Someone had entered the Dungeon, used their Arcana, and returned without anyone noticing. Or, someone new had come down from Heaven and done that. Neither option was particularly preferred, but with no other possible alternative, they were resigned to the fact that until more intelligence was gathered, they could only play the blame game.

Many people began to put the strange phenomenon behind them. But the adventurers knew better. Weird rumors of empty floors, devoid of monsters, spread around the taverns in the evening. It was uncanny; whoever had killed all the monsters hadn't bothered to pick up the crystals or the drops.

The monsters seemed to behave differently as well. They were suddenly more aggressive, launching themselves into reckless attacks and swarming adventurers in larger-than-before numbers. Unease began to build up on everybody's mind, and more and more Familias began to lend their own members to the Loki Expedition with the hopes of getting to the bottom of the mystery once and for all.

And then, on the day the Expedition was due to depart, it happened.

Nearly forty adventurers from a dozen Familias were lined up and ready to set off. Loki was there, preening with pride at seeing such a massive task force, though many other Gods had appeared out of sheer concern.

Moments before they were going to begin, a lone figure emerged from the entrance of the Dungeon.

Head hanging low on a hunched back, arms hanging from his shoulders uselessly, and feet dragging themselves across the ground lethargically, the young man who appeared before them had definitely seen better days. His shirt was almost completely torn up, and what pieces of fabric still stuck to his torso were stained with blood and singed with burns. His pants were in equally horrible shape, completely ripped up and barely protecting his modesty. All over his body, blood and ichor of all colors coated him, and his black hair gave off a rainbow-like sheen from all the overlapping colors.

He took two steps forward, looked up at the Sun, and then promptly collapsed face-first to the ground.

At first, nobody reacted. And then, suddenly, everybody did.

A command from Loki silenced the crowd, and the goddess singled out her vice-captain to treat the wounded man. The green-haired elf rushed forward, and her hand glowed with mystic energy as she hovered it over the man's prone body. For a minute, nothing happened. The elf furrowed her eyebrows, muttering to herself in concentration as she re-positioned her palm dozens of times. She suddenly stopped the spell, resorting to a physical check of the man's body using her fingers and her eyes. Finally, she stood up and said, "I can't heal him."

A hushed silence descended among the crowd. Another one to fall to the Dungeon.

The elf shook her head. "It's not working because he's not injured at all. It's exhaustion. He only needs rest."

Murmurs broke out. Even Loki and the other Gods were too stunned to calm them down. A man who looked to be in such a sorry state was completely unharmed? What now? Did they continue with the expedition? Was the arrival of this strange new human related to the strange occurrence a week ago? No God claimed him as one of their own, and no adventurer recognized his face.

After much discussion, it was decided that the Expedition would be postponed until the man woke up. Any information the man might have could potentially save lives and save them a lot of time.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

Aiz was on guard duty the day the man woke up. She had sat still for hours, and would have continued to sit still for hours more, but then her charge put his hand to his face and opened his eyes groggily.

"You are awake," she tilted her head and said.

The man blinked at her voice, sitting up and looking at her with a blank expression. She saw his eyes drop to the sword on her hip for a few moments before he looked up again.

"Am I dead?" he asked.

"No." Aiz shook her head. "You are awake. You have been sleeping for the past three days."

The man frowned. He turned his head to look out the window, blinking several times as he registered the landscape beyond the glass.

"Where am I?" he asked.

"Orario. We found you collapsed outside the Dungeon."

The man narrowed his eyes, and Aiz could see him mouthing the word 'Orario' to himself in confusion.

"Who are you?" he asked again.

"Aiz Wallenstein."

The man nodded to himself. "I am Kusanagi Godou, and I have no fucking clue where this place is."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Okay wow, didn't expect such a fantastic response. Makes me kinda sad that my other story didn't do this well HAHA, but thanks for the support for this story guys!**

 **Enjoy the first real chapter!**

 **Chapter 1: Kusanagi Godou**

The moment the door knob turned, Godou had already sharpened his senses, knowing that whoever stood on the other side was a threat. By the time the newcomer entered, Godou had already acted. In the blink of an eye, he was out of his bed, pointing a sword at her throat.

The terrified scream the girl made however, caused him to immediately recoil.

"Eek! What the hell is your problem, you bastard?! Do you go around pointing swords at everyone you meet?"

He dropped his arm, but not his guard. The girl before him held unfathomable power, even if she seemed to be suppressing it a great deal. Her short red hair reminded him of an inferno, and her fox-like eyes hid a cunning edge Godou could only recognize because of past unpleasant experiences.

He recognized her for what she was. He'd met enough of them to know her presence here was probably bad news.

"You're a God," he stated with an almost accusatory tone.

If she was surprised, the goddess didn't show it. "Why, yes I am. Sharp senses you have, boy. I am Loki."

Godou narrowed his eyes. "Loki's a man."

The frown she suddenly wore made him feel on edge. There was a sharp pull on his other hand and he suddenly found himself squeezing something _soft_.

"Does this feel like a man's to you?" she asked.

Godou's mouth dropped. He could feel all the blood rushing to his cheeks and he instantly took a step back before the situation could get any worse. He jabbed the sword angrily in her direction. "You...you...you _molested_ me!"

"Excuse me? You're the one that was touching my breast!" Loki shouted back. Then she smirked. "Did you like it?"

Oh Lord, Godou realized. This girl was even more brazen than Erica. "You forced me. That's...that's still sexual harassment!" Why was he feeling so embarrassed? It wasn't like it was his first time doing this sort of thing. And he had to admit...even if they were small, Loki's breast had felt...nice.

Her smirk grew wider when Godou realized his face had betrayed his uncertainty.

"You're a pervert," he realized.

"Yes, I am," Loki said, completely unashamed.

So Loki was a girl. He shouldn't have been that surprised. Lancelot had been a girl too, and _that_ hadn't turned out so bad. He'd nearly died, but then he hadn't, and he'd still somehow managed to gain her undying loyalty.

Reluctantly, he forced himself to relax. He couldn't imagine a God behaving like this to mean him any harm...for now at least. Sighing, he handed the sword hilt-first back to Aiz, who had remained in her seat in stunned silence the whole time. "Sorry for borrowing your sword," he said.

Both Loki's and Aiz's eyes widened in surprise, and the blonde quickly twisted her body to discover the empty sheath hanging at the side of her waist. With a look of caution, she took the sword back, inspecting it for a moment before sliding it back into its scabbard. Godou noted that even after she kept it, she left one hand on the hilt protectively.

He took a seat back on his bed. He wasn't tired, not after the long nap he'd had, but standing made everything feel more tense than it needed to be.

Loki took a step towards him and Godou gave her a wary look. "I don't bite," she promised. Then she gave him a sly look. "Unless you want me to."

Godou scooted away. "You're really Loki?" he asked.

The goddess rolled her eyes. "Of course I'm Loki. You can ask her," she said, pointing at Aiz. "She's part of my Familia."

Aiz gave a short nod.

If anything, that short statement had raised a lot more questions. "What's a Familia?"

Loki squinted at him and her eyes turned into thin lines. "You're an adventurer and you don't know what a Familia is?"

"Adventurer," Godou repeated. "I... don't know what that is either."

"For Heaven's sake!" Loki threw her hands into the air exasperatedly. "You walked out of the Dungeon covered in monster blood!"

Godou tilted his head at her, feeling more confused than ever.

The goddess sank into an empty chair, brought a hand to her face, and sighed deeply. "You don't know what the Dungeon is either, do you?"

Godou nodded. Nothing Loki had said so far made any sense to him.

Loki started making a bunch of weird hand gestures. "Dark, maze-like place. Lots of monsters? Ring any bells?"

Godou blinked. Then he nodded, wincing at the painful memory. Nonstop fighting for who knew how long—even a Campione couldn't walk out of that without feeling tired. "I remember now. Not a nice place. So many weird creatures that kept wanting to kill me."

Loki leaned towards him, eyeing him like he was a piece of meat. "Yet here you are. How are you so stupid and still alive?"

"Hey!" But Godou stopped when he realized that was a good question. _How_ _was he still alive?_ As far as he remembered, Thanatos' scythe had cut through his neck quite cleanly. Then the next thing he knew, he'd awoken in some dark place surrounded by monsters and he'd had to fight his way out. "I don't know. I'm lucky, I guess."

That's what Erica and the rest always seemed to call him, but he didn't think luck was something he could call his ally after he'd fought with so many deities of fate and fortune. A pang of hurt struck him. And here he'd thought that with his demise he could be reunited with all the girls that left him nearly a century ago. Magic had extended their lives, but there was only so long they could live before a Campione's vitality outpaced theirs. Guess he wasn't so lucky after all.

Loki didn't look even one bit convinced. "But you have a Falna right?"

Godou raised up a hand. "Look, I think you're going to have to get used to the fact that I'm completely clueless and that you need to explain any weird terms you'll be using."

"A Falna is a God's blessing. It grants mortals abilities and strengthens their stats."

"Oh. Then yeah, I have something like that." Like Authorities, then. But he couldn't outright say that he was a Campione now, could he? Loki was a goddess; they were natural enemies, and bad things always happened when people found out he was a Godslayer.

"Oh! So whose Familia are you in?" Loki asked excitedly. At seeing his confused look, she explained, "a Falna is given by a God to an adventurer, and said adventurer normally joins that God's Familia. A Familia is a group of people who follow the same God."

Ah. So it was like the various magical organizations that existed in the world he knew. He frowned. Was this even the same world? He was suddenly having doubts. He looked up at Loki, who was still waiting for a response. "I... don't have a Familia. The God that gave me my Falna..." he paused. Could Gods even get slayed here?

He could see a pained expression cross over Loki's features when he stopped. "I see. I'm sorry. The loss of a Familia is a painful experience to those unfortunate enough to go through it. It's not as rare as you think. Any surviving companions?"

He winced. "Gone," he said. They all were. Erica, Ena, Lili, Yuri, each and every single one of them had passed in his arms.

"That is sad."

Godou turned his head in surprise when the characteristically quiet Aiz chose to speak.

Godou smiled weakly. "It was. But I've gotten over it already."

A predatory gleam shined in Loki's eye. "You have? That's great! Then what say you join my Familia? I promise that I'm a thousand times better than uh... which God gave you their blessing?"

"I don't want to join a Familia," Godou said. If he'd learnt anything from his three hundred years alive, it was that mixing with gods was always a disaster waiting to happen. "And I can't tell you who gave me their power," he added. He had Authorities from a whole bunch of Gods, and the last thing he wanted was to give their names to Loki and have them appear before him seeking revenge or something along that line.

Loki looked more annoyed than disappointed. A sweet smile graced her lips. "You know, as a God, I can compel you to tell me the truth."

Godou didn't know why he expected something else when he had first seen that smile. Still, it seemed like an empty threat to him, and he shrugged listlessly in response.

"Try me," Loki dared. "Tell me any lie."

"I'm actually a pineapple wearing the skin of a human being called Kusanagi Godou," he said flatly. To his surprise, he had felt _some_ resistance when uttering those words, but he'd been able to overcome it with minimal difficulty. So Loki wasn't all talk, after all.

The goddess blinked at him in surprise. Then she started to poke him with a finger. "You're... not really a pineapple... are you?"

"No," he said flatly. He resisted the urge to laugh at the small amount of disbelief Loki had on her face.

Her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Excuse me," she said. And then Loki left.

Godou turned to Aiz, who was still seated as impassively as ever, but her hand gripped the handle of her blade even tighter when she caught him looking.

"Um... are all Gods like this, or is Loki just particularly weird?"

Aiz shrugged.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXX**

Loki returned quickly, but not alone. She'd brought with her three more women, each ridiculously good-looking, and then told him to lie to their faces. Godou knew they were goddesses, and being in the room with so many of them at once made him feel... twitchy.

When he managed to do so, all of them had bewildered looks on their faces, except Loki, who sported a triumphant 'I-told-you-so' expression.

"You're all goddesses, aren't you?" he asked.

They nodded.

"I'm Lady Hestia," the one with pigtails and oversized breasts for her short body said.

"Hephaestus." The one with the eyepatch and short red hair gave a small nod.

Perhaps only the last one, who introduced herself as Freya, actually looked the part of a goddess, with her scandalous outfit and the subtle divine charm rolling off from her body.

"Can I ask why you all descended into the Lower Realm?" he asked. They didn't seem to be like the Heretic Gods he'd met in the past. Those deities only seemed driven by their desire to fight and wreak havoc.

"I wanted to make a Familia!" Hestia supplied excitedly.

"I wanted to forge items that people would actually _use_ ," Hephaestus drawled out.

"Heaven's boring. And there's so much less work to do here!" Loki grinned.

"I wanted to see the potential of mortals with my own eyes," Freya said, exuding an aura of serenity.

"So... you're not here to fight?" he asked. Their reasons all seemed pretty tame compared to what he was used to. He had trouble believing a God would actually lower themselves into the mortal world for something as unremarkable as _skiving off work_.

Loki stifled a laugh. The rest just seemed to be confused.

"We can't fight here!" Loki exclaimed. "We'll destroy half the continent! I mean you do know that we're banned from using our divine powers in the Lower Realm, right?"

Godou blinked. No, he hadn't known that. In fact, it would've been the last thing he'd expected. "But what if you're attacked?"

Freya giggled. "Oh dear. Are you worried about us? There's no for you to be."

"No mortal's dumb enough to attack a _God_ ," Hephaestus said.

Hestia nodded her head. "Yeah. If we die here, we just go back to Heaven, and guess where your soul goes to after you die?"

"...Heaven?" Godou guessed.

"Bingo!" Loki said. "So don't get any funny ideas, Godou. We'll be waiting for you in Heaven if you do!"

For the first time in ages, Godou felt relief overwhelm him. The Gods here weren't battle-hungry, reckless, and sadistic harbingers of destruction. They were just plain old weirdos, and Godou would take stupidity over violence any day.

"So Godou," Freya said, her voice smooth and gentle. "If you're done with your questions, we have a few of our own we'd like to ask you."

Godou was far from satisfied with the answers he'd gotten so far, but he found it only fair that they get to ask him questions too.

"Where are you from, Godou? I mean, before you entered the Dungeon."

He let out a sigh. "You guys ever heard of a place called Japan?"

As one, the four goddesses shook their heads. His heart sunk a little bit.

"Yeah, I don't think it's anywhere near here. I was there," ' _fighting the embodiment of Death_ ', but he couldn't tell them that, "and the next thing I knew I was in the Dungeon, surrounded by monsters."

"So... you were summoned into the Dungeon? How long were you there?" Loki asked next. "What kind of monsters did you fight?"

He shook his head. "I don't know. I couldn't keep track of time. And uh, there were all kinds. Some of them could fly and spit fire, oh a lot of them were black-colored."

The goddesses shared a look, as if he'd confirmed something that they'd suspected.

"Did you see anyone else there?" Hephaestus asked.

He shook his head. "I didn't see anyone for a long time. I saw a few people as I went up, but I avoided them because I didn't know if they would attack me." Really, just because he was a Godslayer didn't mean he actually liked going around and challenging everybody he saw. He didn't understand why so many magicians and deities thought that way. It had all been a troublesome headache and he was slightly glad that he wouldn't have to deal with it anymore.

Grimly, he accepted this new world to be his fate for now. This wasn't his first time traversing beyond spatio-temporal boundaries. Sooner or later, he'd go back to his old reality, but for now, he'd take the brief respite and enjoy things here. He looked outside. Primitive technology, scenic environments, a slow-pace of life. Perfect for kicking back and relaxing.

A vacation.

A smile graced his lips.

"Oh? What's got you so happy?" Loki asked.

"Oh, you know, just thinking about all the fun I'm going to have here."

 **XXXXXXXXXXX**

The four Goddesses walked into the giant meeting room. Every God, at least the important ones, was present.

"I am Ganesha!" Ganesha said excitedly when they returned. Even the not-so-important ones were here too.

"So?" Hermes asked. "What did you guys find out?"

"It's probably him," Loki said. "He was summoned into the Dungeon. I don't know from where, but it seems to be really far away."

"We suspect that some God used their Arcana to bring him there, and then promptly disappeared once Kusanagi Godou was deposited," Hephaestus said.

"Why?" somebody asked.

Hestia shrugged. "Who knows? That poor thing though. He's separated from all his friends and family."

"More importantly, we've confirmed that the boy really does have the ability to lie to us Gods," Loki said.

"So everything you think you know about him might be a lie," Ishtar snickered.

"It's an interesting ability," Freya said. "But from what I could see, he has a pure soul. I don't think he was lying to us." Then bowing slightly, she apologized. "I'm sorry, but I have to use bathroom. Please excuse me." Then she left the room briskly.

There was a brief discussion among the Gods before a very important question came out. "So he's strong?" Hermes asked.

Loki felt her face twitch. "Yes. He stole Aiz's sword right under her nose."

"I see." Hermes nodded his head thoughtfully. "So we have a strange new adventurer who's powerful, but also unclaimed by any Familia."

"Yes..." Hephaestus said slowly. "Uh oh."

Hestia's eyes widened and, in alarm, she scrambled out. "We have to stop Freya!" she screamed. "I don't have a Familia yet, I should get first priority!"

Too late, everybody realized what was going on. It was a mad dash out of the meeting room, with every God rushing to stop the other from claiming Kusanagi Godou with the hopes of taking him for themself.

By the time they reached, they were met with the comical sight of Hestia trying to force the door open and banging on it with her fist.

"Freya! Open the door! You sneaky bitch! Stop taking all the good ones for yourself! I don't even have a single member yet!"

"We're too late." Loki groaned. "He's definitely at least Level Five in strength if he was killing Black monsters."

The door clicked open. Every God drew their breath in anticipation.

Freya walked out, an obviously forced smile on her face. "Oh dear. What a crowd. It seems my nefarious plot was discovered."

"That was too fast, even for you," Loki said. "You failed to recruit him, didn't you?" She cackled.

Freya's cheek twitched a little. "No. I did not get him to join my Familia," she said, just as Aiz walked out of the room.

Loki flashed her Sword Princess a thumbs up. "Well done, Aiz! I knew I could count on you to keep Godou away from Freya! Now it's my turn!" she said haughtily, marching to the door.

Freya's arm stopped her. "It's nobody's turn."

"He's not here!" Hestia's dismayed cry rang out from the room.

Loki blinked. As did everybody else.

"What d'ya mean, he's not there?!" Loki yelled out. She ran to the door, only to be greeted by an empty bed and an open window. Hestia was bent over, trying to peek underneath the bed.

"Aiz, where did he go?" Loki demanded.

The blonde girl pointed at the window.

Loki gasped. "You didn't stop him?"

Tapping the hilt of her sword, she shook her head. "Too fast. I also didn't want to get my sword stolen again."

She felt her eyelids jumping up and down.

"Aiz."

"Yes, Lady Loki?"

"We're on the fourth floor."

The Sword Princess stared at her. Then she walked to the window and peered her head over the ledge. She turned back and flashed a thumbs up at Loki. "It's alright, Lady Loki. No body or blood."

Loki resisted the urge scream. As adorable and talented Aiz was, she also seemed to lack some key skills everybody else had. Namely, common sense.

"I can't believe we let him escape," someone muttered.

Loki sighed. She felt as though she'd missed an amazing opportunity.

"Did he tell you why he wanted to jump out the window?"

She nodded. "To get away from," she raised her fingers to make air quotes, "'troublesome Gods'."

And he was a smart one, too.

 **XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Hey Mama."

Mia Grande looked up from the cup she was washing. Even though the customer was on the bar stool right in front of her, she had trouble hearing him over the cacophony of laughter and chatter the other patrons made . "Oh, Eugene. It's been a while since I last saw you here." She put the mug down. "What can I get for you tonight?"

Her old friend looked around. "I was injured, so I've been resting, but...it's sure gotten a lot livelier here, huh."

Mia let out a deep laugh. "Yeah, business has been good ever since I hired a second chef a week ago."

"Oh? Where's she from?"

" _He_ ," she corrected. "Come one Eugene. You know I don't stick my nose into their personal lives. All I know is that he's from a far away place, so his cooking is really exotic. Not to say he's better than May, but it's just different."

"But he's good enough for you to break your 'girls-only' rule?" Eugene asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Why don't you try it for yourself?" she asked, then laughed.

"Alright, give me something good, then."

Mia turned around and hollered to the kitchen, "Boy! Give me another one of those Tonkatsu!"

The new boy was worth his weight in gold, even if the Guild was looking for someone that had disturbingly similar features to him. Whatever, he was a good kid. It helped that he was easy on the eyes, too.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXX**

Godou let out a deep sigh when the last customer left the Hostess of Fertility.

The waitresses recognized him as an old friend of Mama Mia's, back when she had still been an adventurer, which explained how they could keep talking until three in the morning.

Still, even that wasn't enough time to clean up the mess that had been left behind.

His fellow cook, a Cat-Girl called May, was still cleaning up the kitchen and washing up their pots and pans. Normally he'd help her, but given that the pile of dirty dishes left was just as tall as he was, he chose to help the waitresses with rinsing those instead. It was only Syr and Ryuu; the others were outside, mopping the tables.

"Let me give you a hand," he said as he took a small stack to his own basin.

"Thanks Godou!" Syr said excitedly, while Ryuu made a small grunt in acknowledgement. As he rinsed and soaped the plates, he found himself staring at the Elfish ears of Ryuu. The existence of demihumans in this world was something he'd never experienced in any other. Still though, he'd been in this world for almost two weeks now, and there appeared to be no sign of going back. A knot of worry formed in his gut. This...wasn't going to be a permanent thing now, was it?

The trio washed their dishes in silence for a while, with even the normally chatty human girl Syr overwhelmed by the task in front of her. But with time, the mountain decreased, and Godou found himself caught in the attention of both girls. He tried to ignore it at first, but glances turned into deep stares.

"Um, yes?" he finally addressed the elephant in the room, turning to face them.

"Godou," Syr pressed her fingers together. "A lot of us have been wondering...how come you're not an adventurer?"

The question caught him by surprise. As far as he was concerned, most of the citizens in Orario _weren't_ adventurers, though with the Dungeon right smack in the middle, a lot of their jobs did revolve around them. He shrugged. "The same reason why Ryuu isn't, I guess. Or why Mama Mia isn't despite being one of the strongest people I've seen so far."

He didn't count the Gods, who frequented the establishment, since they couldn't technically use their powers. A popular place among Familias, he kept to the kitchen as long as there were customers, not wanting to be recognized.

He could see Ryuu tense, momentarily stopping her washing. "We all have our reasons, Syr. It's better not to pry. Mama Mia trusts him, and that's all that matters."

"Thank you, Ryuu," he said. Then he turned back to Syr. "Why would you think I want to be an adventurer?"

She blushed. "I mean...you're him right? The guy that stumbled out of the Dungeon covered in blood a week ago? The one that all the Gods are trying to recruit into their Familias?"

He blinked.

"Syr eavesdrops...a lot," Ryuu explained calmly.

The human girl didn't even look ashamed. "I haven't told anyone else yet! I know you want to keep it a secret, but I'm just so curious! They say that you're at least a Level Five."

Hanging around a tavern where adventurers visited and listening to the gossip of the waitresses had given Godou a decent grasp of the how adventurers and their Familias worked. A Level Five was nothing to scoff at, but Godou was quite certain he surpassed that.

"Hmmm, I just don't like all that fighting and magic stuff," he told her. Really, he'd had enough. He was determined to treat his time in Orario as nothing more than a break from all supernatural affairs, and he saw no better way to achieve his goal than to get a mundane job and live a mundane life. "It gets annoying after a while. I just want to have a normal life, do normal things, and die normally."

Syr frowned. "That sounds...boring."

Godou grinned. "Trust me, boring is good. When you've lived a life like mine, you learn to appreciate the little stuff," Godou said. "Being able to wake up and not wonder if today is the day you die. Not having random things attacking you for no reason. It feels good going to sleep, knowing that next day is going to end up exactly the same as the previous."

"I've never thought of it that way, I suppose. What about you, Ryuu? Do you miss being an adventurer?"

The Elf kept quiet for a while, and Godou thought she wouldn't be replying at all until she softly said, "sometimes I miss the people."

Godou sighed. Sometimes he did too.

 **XXXXXXXXX**

Trouble brewed the day the Loki Familia visited the bar. It wasn't Godou's first time cooking for them, and every time he heard Loki's high-pitched voice, he'd take extra precaution to not get seen and stick to the back of the kitchen.

They were a loud bunch, and today, their werewolf member was regaling to the whole bar that they'd unintentionally let Minotaurs escape to the Upper Floors, and how they'd had to save one particular adventurer from it.

"He was so _pathetic_!" he chortled out.

The other tables laughed, and Godou found himself holding his knife tighter than usual.

"Trash should just stay trash!"

Another round of laughter.

"Don't worry," May said gently next to him. "Mama Mia always stops people from going too far. Plus, she's on good terms with the goddess Loki herself, so there shouldn't be any trouble."

Her words consoled him slightly, but Godou found himself peering through the window that showed the main area when he heard the sound of a chair crashing.

"Oh? Aren't you that Tomato Loser? Trying to run away again?"

There was a white-haired boy lying on the ground before the Loki table. He looked skinny and weak, and Godou recognized him as Bell Cranel, a new adventurer that Syr loved to talk about.

The werewolf was walking up to him, and Bell was struggling to get to his feet. Even from afar, Godou could see the tears streaming down his cheek.

"Are you crying? Get a load of this, Aiz! He's just a big baby!"

Godou felt conflicted. He didn't want to get involved. He'd made a pledge, hadn't he? To not get into any trouble in this world. To stay away from Gods and adventurers and all that nonsense and to live a life as a ordinary human.

With a single hand, the werewolf lifted Bell by his collar. "You didn't thank Aiz just now, brat."

"Bete," Aiz stood up, her voice holding as much steel as her blade. "Stop this at once."

"Tch." Bete let Bell go, and the boy crumpled to the floor. Godou felt relieved, glad that nobody else had to interfere. Aiz walked up to Bell, but suddenly stopped.

Fascinating, Godou never realized that Aiz's eyes were just as gold as her hair.

Uh oh.

"Kusanagi Godou," she said softly, ignoring Bell even as he got up and ran out the door.

This was bad.

"Eh?" Sitting at the bar, Loki turned around to face him. Her eyes widened briefly and she jabbed a finger at him. "You!"

This was very bad.

Untying his apron and throwing it to the side, Godou quickly leaped over the counter and bashed through the window.

"Who ever catches him gets a Grimoire from me!" he heard Loki declare on his way out.

Grimoires were precious in his old world, and Godou suspected that it was the same here when excited roars followed Loki's words.

He considered activating one of his many Authorities to escape, but the last thing he wanted to do was get any more attention. He trusted that his normal Campione speed and endurance would be more than enough, and he sprinted down the street, dodging the traffic of adventurers returning from the Dungeon with skilled ease.

Somehow or the other, he found himself running next to Bell Cranel.

"Yo, Bell."

The white-haired boy jerked in surprise that someone was suddenly running alongside him. "Who are you? Why are you running with me?"

"I'm Godou, the chef from the Hostess. Let's just say we've both got beef with the Loki Familia for now."

"Um..." Bell clearly didn't know how to respond to what he said. "So you saw everything?" He seemed quite embarrassed. The tear stains on his cheek were still in the process of drying.

"Yeah. That Bete guy reminds me of a few people I didn't like very much." Like Count Voban. Like the many Heretic Gods who looked down on humans and saw them only as collateral damage. "I really wanted to punch him in the face."

Bell's eyes widened in alarm. "You can't do that! He's a Level Six!"

"Five, Six, Seven, what's the difference?" Godou said lazily. "It's just a number."

"You're _clearly_ not an adventure, are you." The boy sounded quite defeated.

He shook his head. "I can't really call myself one, so no, I'm not. By the way, where exactly are we running?"

"The Dungeon. I...need to train more. So I can become stronger and be worthy of Aiz."

Godou looked up. The tower that marked the Dungeon's entrance loomed over him in the night sky. Then he looked down at Bell. "Aiz? You mean the sword girl? She's not _that_ strong."

Bell stopped running and looked at him as though he'd said something sacrilegious. "What are you talking about? Aiz Wallenstein is the most talented adventurer in generations! She's got the fastest Level Up record!"

"Again," Godou said, rolling his eyes. "It's just a number."

"Found you."

The lone, raspy voice from above interrupted their conversation.

The werewolf, Bete, dropped down from the roof he was standing on, landing on the floor gracefully. "Oh, and you're here too, Tomato Loser. I suggest you beat it, I only want the chef."

"Go, Bell," Godou said calmly. "I'll handle this."

"But...but, you're not an adventurer, Godou! He'll destroy you! He's an executive of the Loki Familia, one of the strongest!"

"I'll be fine, Bell."

"No." The rookie adventurer stood in front of him protectively, pulling out a knife for defence. "I can't be a hero if I let an innocent civilian be bullied by an adventurer."

A hero, huh.

A fool's wish. But in the end, every great person he'd ever met had been a moron one way or another.

"Oi. You don't really think you can fight me, do you?" Bete asked Bell.

Godou could see the boy's arms quivering. His legs trembling. Sweat rolling down his brow. Yet he stood his ground. Goudou wondered if this was how Erica had seen him when he'd chosen to fight Verethragna all those years ago with nothing but a magical slab of stone.

Godou raised one hand, a habit he'd never actually managed to kick despite not having been a student for centuries. "Um. How bout we just call it a day. I mean, I still need to continue working, Bell here needs to train. And I'm sure a Level Six adventurer like you has got better things to do than to hunt down a simple chef."

"Yeah, right," Bete scoffed. "I was there that day when you stumbled out of the Dungeon. I know you're special somehow. Lady Loki wouldn't ask us to retrieve you if you weren't."

A resigned sigh escaped Godou's lips. What a pain in the ass. It seemed it didn't matter what world he was in, he was fated to get in trouble either way.

"Stand back, Bell." Godou pushed the rookie away as he stepped forward.

"Godou, He's Level Six. You can't-" A finger flick to his forehead sent Bell skidding a few feet back, shutting him up.

Bete immediately tensed up, pulling out a pair of twin daggers.

Godou closed his eyes. He had far more Authorities now than when he started, and while he could use almost all of them at will, he still found it right to recite the incantations whenever he could.

 _"Those that are evil, and those that are strong, fear me, for i have wings. For my wings will punish you for your curse. and those that are evil will not be able to touch me!"_

He felt his body become weightless as the power of the Raptor, one of Verethragna's Ten Avatars, envelope him. Time slowed down as he casually walked towards Bete. He was surprised when he saw Bete's eyes tracking his movements with his hands slowly moving to react already.

Impressive. But still too slow.

He moved behind Bete. His attacks in this state carried little to no power, simply because his body had lost all its weight to deliver a strike. Satisfied, he deactivated the Raptor, and Bete turned with the force of a whirlwind in an attempt land an attack on him when time returned to normal.

Bete was fast. Probably faster than most human magicians and knights, but still nowhere as fast as a God. Godou saw through his attack instantly and reacted accordingly.

He dodged, leaning his body to the right and the blades swung past him harmlessly. Then he grabbed Bete by the shoulders and kneed him in the gut. Hard. A mixture of spit and blood spewed out of the werewolf's mouth as his body went limp, his dual blades clattering uselessly to the floor.

Bell made a terrified sound when Godou gently laid Bete's body on the ground, falling to the ground and landing on his butt. "You...you just beat him like that?" he sputtered out.

"See, what did I tell you? Levels are just a number."


	3. Chapter 3

**Edit: I've edited stuff at the start!**

* * *

 **A/N: Don't forget to fav/follow if you like this story! It really goes a long way in terms of encouragement~ And reviews too! I love reading them, even if they're not so pleasant!**

 **Chapter 2: Loki**

"What do you mean, _just leave him here_?" Bell shrieked. "He's unconscious!"

Godou sighed. "He's Level Five, he'll be fine." Really, the kid was such a worrywart.

Bell crossed his arms and glared. "I don't think you're allowed to say that when it took you only one kick to knock him out. And what happened to _it's just a number_?"

"Well, what do you want me to do then?" Godou asked. "He's going to wake up by himself sooner or later."

"We have to bring him back to his Familia."

It took Godou a moment realize what that entailed.

"No. Absolutely not. Do you know how many flags you're going to trigger if you walk into the enemy camp carrying the body of their teammate?" _Remember Godou, stay clean. Stay out of trouble_ , he told himself. No more meddling with Gods. He frowned. He shouldn't have fought in the first place, but Bete hadn't really given him a choice.

A brief staring battle occured, and Godou found Bell's crimson eyes to be full of spirit and fight.

Still, he'd faced down Gods and not batted an eyelid, so he considered it his victory when Bell's gaze darted away and he huffed.

"Fine. I'll carry Bete," the boy said in resignation.

"Sounds good," Godou said. "Bye." He waved and began to walk away. See, this was the smart way to do things. To let someone else do it.

"Then I guess I have no choice but to tell _everyone_ what happened," Bell said loudly, followed by an exaggerated sigh. "I'll have to tell Lady Loki and her Familia that Bete just wanted to talk, but you're such a violent and reckless individual that you ended up attacking him first. And then they'll _all_ get mad, and then _everybody_ will think that you're-"

Bell stopped talking when Godou stopped walking. "Alright, alright. I get the point." Godou's eye twitched. Didn't this kid want to be a hero? Blackmail didn't seem very hero-like. Briefly, Godou considered knocking him out too so he'd shut up, but that would only end up with him having to take care of _two_ unconscious people instead of one.

"So you'll do it?" Bell asked hopefully.

Godou could have said no. It would have been better to say no. But he could almost hear Yuri scolding him if he just left Bell to take care of Bete even though he was the one that knocked the Werewolf out. She was a shrine priestess. He was a Godslayer. Yet she would have lectured him without hesitation that what he was doing was highly irresponsible and, as a Campione, mortals looked up to him and he needed to be a role model.

Something in his memory bubbled up at the thought.

 _Godou lightly nudges the body in front of him with his foot._

 _Doni groans in pain, and Godou decides to walk away. If that stupid sword-wielding idiot can still make noise, he won't be dying any time soon._

 _A hand grabs his shoulder, stopping him mid-stride._

 _Yuri has a disapproving look on her face when he turns around._

 _"Doni-sama is injured."_

 _"Good. That moron deserves it after falling from the sky and trying to cut me in two. That's not how normal people say 'hello'."_

 _"You cannot just leave him here." He sees her inflate one of her cheeks when she pouts, and it is absolutely adorable._

 _"If he wakes up and I'm anywhere near him, he'll just want to fight me again."_

 _"It is still the right thing to do, Godou. You know he would do it for you if he actually injured you."_

 _He knows she's right. As much as he hates to admit it, out of all the Campione, Doni is really the only one he would ever call a friend. The simple-minded idiot had an eccentric way with people that made them like him even if he was trying to cut them into half._

 _He takes a deep breath, then he grabs Doni's sword and starts pulling it, knowing that the Sixth Campione would never let go of his beloved weapon even in an unconscious state._

 _The little giggle Yuri lets out when she sees Doni's body being dragged across the mud makes his effort worth it immediately._

He missed Yuri. He missed all of them.

Bell was still standing in front of him, an expectant look on his face.

"Yeah, yeah. Loki's probably still in the Hostess anyway, and I've got to go back to work." Poor May, he realized, she'd had to cook for everyone this whole time. He shuddered when he tried thinking about Mama Mia's reaction to his little escape.

Godou sighed. How many sighs did he let out already? He let out another sigh when he realized the night's troubles had only just begun. He wasn't looking forward to what was coming next, and he dragged his feet towards the direction of the Hostess.

"Wait, what about Bete?" Bell asked, pointing at the unconscious werewolf.

Godou stuffed his hands into his pocket, not even bothering to stop. "You said you'd carry him, right?"

"But... you're stronger than me," Bell protested.

"Yeah, so you need the training. If you were beautiful girl, maybe I'd help you. But since you're not...don't lag behind." Really, this was all Bell's fault. He wouldn't have been discovered if Bell hadn't come to the Hostess tonight, so this was the least the boy could do.

He almost felt bad with the constant grunting sounds Bell was making behind him, but hey, Bell was the one that didn't want to leave Bete there.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

By the time they returned to the Hostess, Bell was panting, sweating, and after dumping Bete unceremoniously on the floor in front of Loki, he promptly collapsed next to the werewolf.

"So... heavy."

Unfortunately, the entire spectacle was completely ignored by the Loki Familia since their eyes had been trained on only him ever since they returned. From overhearing conversations, Godou knew a few of the members. He'd met Loki and Aiz before already of course, but he recognized the short blond Pallum as Finn, their captain, and the green-haired Elf as Riveria, the vice-captain. There was a Dwarf by the name of Gareth as well, but Godou didn't see him around.

Finn's gaze lingered on Bete's form for a moment. "He's not dead...is he?"

To be honest, Godou hadn't checked, but he hadn't hit Bete _that_ hard. Still, he shrugged, prompting Riveria to kneel down and perform some healing magic.

"So," Loki began, sounding rather annoyed. "What happened? Why is one of my top adventurers in such a sorry state after chasing a cook from a bar?"

"He tripped," Godou replied blandly.

"He has three fractured ribs," interjected Riveria.

Loki raised an eyebrow at him.

The entire table, about a dozen members present, turned back to face him. By now, the entire tavern was looking at him, including the staff and a very irritated-looking Mama Mia, and Godou felt very put off by the attention.

"Fine," Godou said. He lifted a hand and pointed a finger at Bell's exhausted form. "He did it."

It was going to take more than stares to drag a confession out of him.

The sheer incredulity of being accused seemed to fill Bell with life, and he bounced back upright, vehemently shaking his head and waving his arms in denial. "Me? That's not true at all! Bete wanted Godou to follow him, but Godou didn't want to. Then Bete drew out his knives and Godou kicked him and then Bete fainted!"

The outburst had expended what little energy he had left, and Bell sunk into a chair, breathing deeply.

Godou was unimpressed. What a little snitch.

"Self-defence," Godou said sagely. It was true. Bete had taken out his weapons after all.

Loki squinted at him. The rest seemed skeptical as well.

"One kick?" Aiz tilted her head and asked.

Godou nodded. "One kick."

"Bete's a Level Five," Finn said, his entire body exuding doubt.

"Well, you can ask him. He's going to wake up right about...now," Godou said. He'd seen Bete's fingers twitch slightly.

True to his word, the werewolf suddenly sat up straight, gasping for air and clutching his stomach. The bruise there had faded significantly, and Godou had to admit he was slightly impressed by the healing technique Riveria had used.

"YOU!" The Werewolf yelled, pointing a sharp-nailed finger at him. He tried to lunge up, but suddenly stopped with a wince and clutched his side.

"You're ribs are still healing," Riveria informed him. "Try to be a good boy and sit still."

Godou found Bete's subsequent glare to be as intimidating as a puppy's.

"What was that thing you did?" Bete demanded. "I've never seen any magic that lets people travel that fast! I could barely track your movements and Werewolves' have the best senses!"

"Oh? So let's add super speed to your list of mysterious abilities," Loki said slyly, causing Godou's lips to sink into a frown. Campiones liked keeping their Authorities a secret, and even though he had plenty of other skills to rely on, he didn't like it when people knew what he was capable of.

It only made them want to challenge him more.

A gold flash suddenly interrupted the conversation, and Aiz Wallenstein was now squatting dangerously close in front of Bete. The Werewolf turned as red as a tomato, scooting backwards from the sudden proximity. "Aiz?" the Werewolf asked uncertainly.

The Sword Princess cocked her head slightly to the side, and in her demure and soft voice, she said, "one kick?"

Godou almost spat out in laughter, but it would've ruined the moment, and according to Erica and Ena, he'd done that more than enough already.

Bete blinked rapidly, clearly confused. Then realization hit him and he turned away and huffed. "Yeah, so? I heard you got your sword stolen too, so that makes us equal."

Aiz flinched. She stared down at Bete hard, before standing up and extending an arm to help him up. When he accepted it, she nodded. "Equal."

"Great!" Godou clapped. "So everybody's made up. Let's adjourn this meeting and-"

"Nuh uh uh," Loki stood up and put a finger to his lips. "We've only started the party. Well done Bete! Even if you got your ass kicked, you still brought Kusanagi Godou to me. Ten points!"

"Points? I thought I'd get a Grimoire-"

"Now Kusanagi Godou." Loki put her arms at her side and puffed up her chest. She extended an arm out to him. "Join my Familia."

Godou looked at it. "No thanks. I'd rather cook." Stay clean, stay out of trouble. That was the motto of his new life. Maybe in the past, when he was clueless about everything and dependent on everyone, he might've considered the offer. The Loki Familia seemed to have fun in whatever they did, but he'd left that life behind him. Orario...Orario was his retirement.

Loki looked as though she'd been slapped. Then she quickly recovered and pumped her fist. "No worries. I was prepared for rejection! How about we up the ante? If-"

"That's enough, Lady Loki," Mama Mia's strict voice suddenly cut in, and Godou found himself being lifted into the air by his shirt. "The boy is right. He's a cook. _My_ Cook. And he's missed nearly an hour of work."

At first, Godou had thought he was being rescued. But now, feeling her fingers tighten around his collar, he could only gulp in fear. "Yes, Mama. I'll be going into the kitchen right now," he stuttered out, and she released him.

"But-" Loki tried to argue, but a swift chop to Loki's head shut her up, and Godou's jaw dropped.

"You can try to recruit him _after_ working hours." Mama Mia's tone of finality ended the conversation abruptly. Godou was slightly amazed at Mama Mia's audacity. Even he, a Campione, wouldn't have dared to shut down Loki like that.

The admiration died when Loki pouted, rubbing her head where Mama Mia had hit her. A goddess... _pouting_. Now Godou knew he must have been in a different world. "Okay, Mama Mia. You don't have to be so mean about it, jeez. But just you wait, I'm going to steal your chef."

The burly woman snorted. "Yeah, I'd like to see you try. I know Godou, and he's only got an eye with girls with big tits."

If Godou had been drinking anything, he would have spat everything out. Still, he found himself choking at that statement. "Mama Mia!" he cried out.

"Don't think I haven't caught you stealing looks at my girls and customers, Godou," Mama Mia smirked.

Damn. And he thought he had been discrete.

"Godouuuu..." Loki's voice was uncharacteristically low, and the way she dragged his name at the end reminded him of whenever he'd pissed off one of his own girls in the past. "I can't believe you were lying when I let you touched my breast."

All of a sudden, Godou found himself the subject of every glare in the room, and there were quite a lot. He did a quick count of the room: all the waitresses, all the girls, the entire Loki Familia, and all the men. So yes, with a single sentence, Loki had somehow managed to make the whole room hate him. Trickster Goddess indeed.

"Lady Loki?" He held up his hands in a placating manner; he'd even added the Lady part to butter her up. "Please don't say things that will make people misunderstand our relationship."

"What relationship?" The goddess sniffled. "After you got me into bed with you, you escaped through the window when I left for a little bit. Clearly, I don't mean anything to you."

Now there weren't only glowers. Godou was certain there were silent curses and death-bringing prayers all being targeted at him.

He turned to the only person that could clear his name. "Aiz! You were there, right? Tell them its not true! Loki's totally taking things out of context!"

The girl blinked, and opened her mouth to speak. Loki nudged her and she stopped before the first word. As if realizing something, she brought her sword to her chest and hugged it tightly.

"I remember. You...you stole something that was very precious to me that day."

Godou's eye twitched. Was she in on this too?

"The Sword Princess? But she's so young and pure!"

"How could he? What a fiend!"

"But a goddess though...that's too much."

All around him, people began to whisper judgmentally, and Godou felt powerless to stop them.

Completely destroyed...his reputation...torn to tatters in a matter of minutes. This was exactly like when Erica had transferred into his class and convinced all of his friends that they'd engaged in all kinds of debauchery.

He brought both hands to his face and let out a huge groan when he realized something.

This...this was exactly how it'd started out the last time too.

 **XXXXXXXX**

The prospect of overtime, or as Mama Mia had called it, 'Punishment Work', had seemed daunting to him at first. But now, Godou was almost thankful for it.

The Hostess of Fertility, technically closed, was completely empty besides him. Him and over a hundred mugs that needed washing. Really, he should've seen this coming when Mama Mia had offered a thirty percent discount on all drinks last night. But still, the act of doing nothing but rinsing, soaping, then drying was strangely cathartic.

It gave him something to do so his mind wouldn't wander and dwell on a past that he didn't want to think about. It gave him a sense of normalcy in his life, and he liked to pretend that this was something he'd been doing his whole life, and would continue to do for the rest of it.

And so, when Loki burst in through the door, a big cheeky grin on her face, Godou had been quite annoyed. He looked at the clock. Not even lunch time.

"Dear valued customer, we are closed," he said, as neutrally as possible. "Please come back after three."

"Aha," Loki said coyly. "I know you're closed. That's why I'm here!"

Of course. Hadn't Mama Mia said it herself? _"You can try to recruit him after working hours."_ Great, and now if he knew any better, Loki was going to be here until three. "Don't you have a Familia to run?" Godou asked.

"All my adorable children are in the Dungeon, and you know," Loki winked, "recruitment is a very big part of managing a Familia."

"You have some nerve, still asking me to join after that stunt you pulled last night. You know, none of the waitresses are willing to look me in the eye anymore." It'd been even more awkward trying to cook with May; she'd slapped him out of reflex when his hand had brushed past hers on accident.

"Ah." Loki even had the audacity to sound embarrassed. "It was just joke!"

"I got spat on by a customer as I was leaving yesterday."

"Ooph. Sounds harsh. What'd you do to make them do that?"

Godou glowered at her.

She recoiled. "Sorry," she mumbled.

He blinked. It was rare for a God to apologize to him. "I can't hate you for it," he said while shrugging. "You're the goddesses of tricksters. I suppose stuff like this is in your nature."

"Finally!" Godou nearly jumped at Loki's sudden outburst. "Somebody who actually understands!"

"Doesn't mean I've stopped blaming you, either. Haven't forgiven you too."

"Oh," Loki said mutely. "So...that's a no on the Familia thing?"

"Yes. I'm not joining your Familia. Or any Familia for that matter."

Loki visibly deflated, and she let her head rest on the table. For a while, it was just silence, and Godou resumed his work.

"Hey, Godou." Loki sounded despondent all of a sudden. "Do you hate us?"

Godou looked up. "Us?"

"Gods," Loki clarified. "I noticed it the day you woke up. I mean, you trying to stab me was one thing, but you were already on edge even when talking to Freya, Hephaestus, and Hestia. You'd only just met them, too."

Had he been that obvious?

"I...don't have many good experiences with Gods," he told her. She seemed so dejected that Godou felt like telling a bit of the truth. "They've done nothing but to cause trouble for me and the people I care about."

"You know, Gods don't have as much control of the world as much as you think we do. It's actually really hard to alter fate."

Godou wiped a mug clean, inspected it, and placed it on the rack with all the clean cups. "I'm not talking about the world. I'm talking about you. Gods have no control over themselves when they're the ones who need it the most."

Loki flinched. "That's not true. I mean look at us. No God that's descended into the mortal world has used their Arcana in decades, except..." she trailed off. "Except when you showed up."

Godou blinked. "What do you mean?"

"A week before you collapsed in front of the Dungeon... there was a blast of energy. A God had used their Arcana, and we suspect that whoever did also summoned you from...whatever world you came from."

Godou froze. "So you know?" he whispered softly. And he'd been trying to keep it a secret too.

"Just because we've lost our immortal bodies doesn't mean we've lost our knowledge. There isn't a place called Japan, and there never has been. And it doesn't take a genius to figure out the real reason why you were so clueless about adventurers and everything."

Cautiously, Godou allowed himself to relax. "And you guys aren't alarmed? Or curious?"

"I'm curious. Some of the other Gods don't really care. And as for the alarmed part...no, I guess we're not. I mean, we Gods have always viewed the Dungeon as a bridge between ours and another world. We certainly never created monsters, and there seems to be no other explanation why the Dungeon can resist our authority and give birth to an infinite number of them."

"And you guys aren't scared?"

Loki scoffed. "What for? We're Gods. This is our home turf, it's not like anything here can _really_ hurt us anyway. It's just that we might end up destroying the whole continent so we're suppressing our powers."

Godou tried his best to smile, but all that came out was weird laugh. "Yeah, I guess that's true."

If only they knew.

If only they knew that it hadn't been another God that had brought him here. There wasn't a shred of doubt in his mind. That blast of energy they had felt...it had been him. When he'd been cornered in the Dungeon and had no choice but to release Verethragna's full power.

If only they knew that the Dungeon had summoned the worst monster imaginable.

If only they knew he was a Campione, a Godslayer.

 **XXXXXXXXX**

A God. Doing dishes. The idea was nearly laughable. Yet here Loki was, next to him, wearing a spare apron and rubber gloves.

Godou wondered if she was just that bored, or if this was another attempt on her part to get close to him so he'd join her Familia. Whatever the case, he didn't mind. Less work for him.

"I can't believe there are people who are satisfied with doing something like this their _whole_ lives. I've only done three cups and I'm sick of this already!" Loki complained.

"Clearly, the life of a mortal is not meant for you," Godou drawled out.

"Join my Familia?" Loki asked out of the blue.

"No."

"Blegh. I thought I had you with that one."

"You were close."

"Really?"

"No. Not at all."

"Hmph," Loki turned away, and Godou saw her staring at the clean cup in her hands as if it had done some great wrong against her. "Godou, can I ask you a question?"

"My answer's not changing. I'm not doing it." He didn't mind having a conversation while washing mugs, but conversation had to comprise something other than the same, repeated question.

"What was your old world like?" she asked instead.

He had been expecting this question for a while. He'd spent the past five minutes thinking about how much to reveal. "Different. The Gods there keep themselves hidden with magic. Few humans know about their existence, and even the knowledge of magic is limited to a handufl. And there aren't other races. Only Gods and Humans. No monsters either."

"Sounds...peaceful," Loki said, making a weird expression as she tried to picture the bizarre world in her mind.

"Not at all." At seeing Loki's surprised look, Godou began to tell her of the Heretic Gods. How they descended into the Human World for no other reason than to bring chaos and harm to others. How their mere presence caused natural disasters and calamities. How they paid no mind to collateral damage, only stopping when they were satisfied with themselves.

Loki gulped. "Sounds...terrifying. No wonder you don't like Gods very much. But...if what you say is true, how did humans even survive?"

Godou shrugged. "We just did."

"It really sounds like the Gods in your world don't care about humans very much."

"Just the Heretic ones," Godou corrected her. "But the ones stuck in our version of Heaven couldn't do much to stop them."

Loki seemed deep in thought, and Godou wondered if he'd said something weird.

"Godou. Did you ever meet me in your world? I mean...the version of Loki there." Loki had hesitated, almost as if she had been afraid to ask the question.

"No," Godou said. But he'd met Thor, her brother, and defeated him. But that wasn't something Godou planned on sharing.

"That's good then," Loki said, looking relieved. "I can't imagine myself, even other versions of me, doing the kind of things you mentioned."

"Lady Loki." It was only now that Godou realized something he should have a long time ago. "You care for mortals, don't you?"

"Of course I do! What kind of mother doesn't love her own children?" She sounded offended.

Children, huh. That should've been the way _his_ Gods saw humanity. Too bad they hadn't. "Is that why you descended?" he asked. "To walk among us?"

She nodded, flashing a big cheesy grin. "I felt so distant in Heaven, and there are so many stupid rules up there that stop us from interfering. But down here, I can tell when I'm making a difference in someone's life. It feels great. Watching the members of my Familia grow...I haven't felt this good or proud in centuries! And it's not just that! I can _sense_ your civilization grow with every passing day. Orario expands a little wider. The buildings grow a little higher. People get a little smarter. It's a wonderful feeling!" Loki let out a contented sigh, closing her eyes as her expression morphed into one of bliss.

Godou felt a smile creep up onto his face. He felt as if he was listening a child who'd just experienced her first Christmas. Except the child in question was an eon-old goddess. "You know, Lady Loki. If I ever learn how to traverse between this world and my old one, I think I should bring you to visit. The sights you'll see will have you spellbound."

"Really?" Her eyes snapped open with excitement, and the fires that burned within her red irises came from passion instead of power. "Why?"

Godou told her. How humans there had built buildings that reached the clouds. How they had machines that could traverse across the skies. How they had built entire worlds using nothing but science and technology. With every word, Loki grew captivated. He could see her curiosity grow with every tale he said, her anticipation increase with each new wonder he introduced her to, her admiration intensify for each new breakthrough he described.

"Wonderful! Just splendid!" Loki declared jubilantly. "I cannot wait! It's a promise, Kusanagi Godou! You shall bring me to this...Earth, and show me all these magnificent inventions. And in return, I, the mighty Loki, will do everything in my power to research on space-time magic and help you return!"

Godou blinked. He certainly hadn't expected that last part. He smiled. "Thank you, Lady Loki."

The Goddess beamed. Then as if she'd forgotten something, she straightened. "One more question, Godou."

"Yes?"

"Join my Familia?'

His smile dropped. "No."

"Urk." Loki clutched her chest, as if she'd just been shot, and did a false stumble out of chair. From where she lay on the ground, she cracked one eye open. "Was I closer this time at least?"

He rolled his eyes. "No."

"Rats," was the goddess' response.

Godou sighed and turned away, making sure that the small smile on his face couldn't be seen by her.

It was a good thing he could lie to the Gods.


	4. Chapter 4

**Long Chapter Ahead! Anyway guys, I edited the previous chapter a fair amount (give it a look through please)**

* * *

 **Chapter 3: Cracks**

Over the course of the next few days, Godou realized something had changed.

"Hey Ryuu." He turned to the Elf, who had just come into the kitchen. "Is it me, or are there a lot more Gods in the Hostess than before?"

Fix, six, seven Gods. He could count that many power signatures that were too powerful to be adventurers. He could identify Loki, but he did not recognize the rest.

"Yes, there are," the waitress replied evenly. "Guess whose fault it is."

"It's me, isn't it," Godou replied sullenly. "Now that everyone knows that I work here, they all want to get a closer look, don't they?"

"Correct." Then Ryuu shrugged. "But Mama Mia says that it is good for business. The Gods bring their Familias here, and that means they buy more food and drinks. Mama Mia is doing her best to stop them from barging in. She tells them that you'll only come out if they eat enough of your food."

"Clever," Godou admitted. Still, being reduced to some kind of mascot for the Hostess of Fertility felt kind of...cheap.

He caught Ryuu staring at him, as if there was something else on her mind she wanted to say.

"Yes, Ryuu?"

"Godou, do you know about the rumors circulating around you?" Ryuu asked.

Godou groaned. He thought he'd cleared things up. It had taken a lot of explaining, even with Loki's assistance, but the girls in the tavern no longer thought of him as a sexual predator, which was a huge relief. The tension had almost become unbearable.

"They say that you are secretly Level Six."

Godou felt his eyes widening in surprise. "It must be a very well-kept secret then, if even I didn't know." But inwardly, he cursed. He knew that fighting Bete hadn't been a good idea. If there was anything he'd come to learn about Orario, it was that gossip here spread faster than wildfire.

He felt glad when he saw Ryuu's lips twitch slightly to form a small smile. Sometimes talking to the Elf was a bit like talking to a robot, and that little display had humanized her a great deal.

"What do you think, Ryuu? Do you believe in that rumor?"

Even if he couldn't sense the latent power buried in her, Godou would have naturally assumed she was some kind of warrior. He'd fought enough people over the years to recognize the tells. Sharp eyes that seemed to analyze everything now bore into him, and Godou felt slightly uncomfortable under her calculative gaze.

"I think you cannot be quantified by a number," the Elf finally concluded. "You are...an anomaly."

Reluctantly, Godou found himself silently agreeing. That was certainly one way of describing Campiones. They were people who defied Fate, exceptions to the rule, uncategorizably unique. To defeat a God, they had to be.

"You are much older than you look," Ryuu continued, surprising Godou. "I thought you were around Syr's age when you first came in. Now that I have observed you, I know that is not the case. You put up a very good act, but you cannot fool the eyes of a race that frequently has people living until the age of five hundred. You are way past eighteen years old."

Godou stopped what he was doing. "A very fascinating theory. What if I told you you were wrong?"

"You are a bad liar."

Godou resisted the urge to wince. He'd heard that enough times from Liliana in the past to know that it was true.

 _"Godou, what happened?" Concern drips out of Liliana's voice as she rushes over, a tissue already in hand which she uses to gently dab at the wound._

 _It is a deep gash on his forearm, one cursed by ancient magic, and no amount of tissues will stop its bleeding. He ignores the stinging sensation, and chooses not to tell Liliana that her efforts are in vain. She is the last person he wants to learn the truth._

 _"A training accident," he says with a lighthearted smile. "I was sparring with Lancelot, and things got a little intense."_

 _"Liar," Liliana says immediately, and he winces at the hurt in her voice._

"It's my eyes, isn't it?" he said to Ryuu, knowing it was a lost battle. "They always told me that my eyes give everything away."

 _"I'm not lying." He tries to act natural. "I can call for her and she will tell you the truth." They made an agreement after all. It is for Liliana's own good._

 _She meets his eyes for a moment._

 _"Ow!" Godou grimaces in agony when Liliana jams her tissue-clad fingers into the cut, her fingers digging around in his flesh._

 _"Sorry," she says, completely insincere. "My hand slipped."_

 _"Liar," Godou retorts once the pain subsides._

 _Liliana smiles forlornly. "I will admit to that. Now will you admit to yours?"_

 _Godou lets out a deep breath. "How did you know?"_

 _He stares at the white-haired girl while waiting for a response, knowing that there is a possibility that this might be the last time he sees her. His heart is gripped with pain when he notices the small wrinkle above her brow. It is her first one, and it wasn't there last week when they made love. He knows Liliana is aware of it, for the girl who secretly spends an hour every morning in front of the mirror adjusting her looks will never miss such a flaw. The revelation that even their combined magic isn't enough to halt the effects of time is more than enough to dump onto Liliana's plate. She does not need more weight on her shoulders._

 _"They say that the eyes are the window to a person's soul," Liliana says gently. "I never believed in that saying until I met you. You can move your lips and smile, but your eyes betray your worry. You are an innately honest person Godou, and don't let anyone change that about you. It is why I fell in love with you after all."_

 _"I don't want you to get hurt," Godou says, hoping his slight blush isn't seen by her._

 _Liliana puts the tissue away, realizing that it is useless. Instead, her blood-soaked hand reaches out and she laces her fingers around his. "It is most unbecoming and hurtful of a King to not trust the knight that has sworn to remain by his side for the rest of her life."_

 _There is no choice now. He inhales deeply._

 _"Voban is dying. He wants to leave an heir. He has challanged me for custody of you, Liliana. His life for yours."_

 _The girl tenses, and Godou can feel her hand tightening around his._

 _"Don't worry Liliana." He pulls her in for a hug, one which she gratefully accepts. "I'll protect you. Even if I have to deal the killing strike with my own hands."_

Ryuu pursed her lips, and Godou knew she wanted to know just who 'they' were. "Yes." Thankfully, she hadn't asked. That was why he liked Ryuu. She knew where to draw the line. "There is no passion in them. No curiosity. No wonder. They are the eyes of a man who has seen all that he has wanted to see, and unfortunately also the things that he never wanted to. They are old eyes."

"Like yours?" Godou asked cheekily. Ryuu always seemed to speak in such an archaic way, and just like she mentioned, Elves could live long and still look youthful. He'd also caught her numerous times just staring off into the distance. She had a history, and he suspected it was a long one.

She frowned deeply. "I am only twenty."

She slammed the door on the way out.

Godou blinked. He hadn't expected that at all. Even after hundreds of years later, he still had no idea how girls worked.

The smell of smoke wafted up his nose, and he looked down at his pan.

Great. He'd burnt the fish too.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

A knock on his door woke Godou up. It took only a few steps from his bed to the door. Mama Mia had graciously let him convert one of their spare storerooms into his living quarters until he actually had enough money to afford real accommodation. It was a steep drop from the estate he'd used to live in, but this was the kind of thing normal people went through, and Godou was determined to experience it for himself.

Swinging the door open, he found Mama Mia and Arnya standing across him. He looked at the clock and frowned. He wasn't supposed to start cooking until three, and it was barely past lunch.

"Godou, today is your lucky day, nya!" Arnya said cheerfully. The Cat-Girl waitress pulled out a purple purse, jingling it in the air. Then she grabbed his hand and pressed it into his palm. "That ditzy girl Syr left this when she skived off work to attend the Festival, so here you go!"

Godou looked down. So...Arnya was just giving her Syr's money? He supposed that was one way to afford rent, but seeing Mama Mia facepalm, he knew that the Cat-Girl had missed something out.

"Go to the Festival and return it to her." Mama Mia filled the big gaping hole in Arnya's request. "There's a lot of food and stalls there, so she'll definitely be upset when she realizes she has no money. While you're there, go take the rest of the day off until the Festival's over, it's pretty interesting to watch."

Godou felt like he was still missing something important. "...what Festival?"

"The Monster Feria! Don't tell me you've never heard of it, nya?" Arnya put her hand over her mouth in shock.

Blankly, he shook his head. He hadn't heard of such a thing in the few short weeks he was here.

"It's a yearly event organized by the Ganesha Familia," Mama Mia explained. "They bring up captured monsters from the surface, and then they tame them in front of an audience. It is quite the sight. You should really take the offer. You haven't seen much of Orario, right? This is a good chance to explore."

"But May...she'll have to cook all by herself."

Mama Mia offered him a rare smile. "Most of our customers will be there anyway, so she'll be fine on her own. You should take a break, you've been working every day, you deserve it."

Godou gripped the purse as a warm feeling enveloped him. It felt nice to be acknowledged. "Thank you Mama Mia."

"Nya! How come you're not thanking me?!" Arnya cried out as he ran off.

 **XXXXXXXXXXX**

Walking down the streets of Orario, Godou realized that Mama Mia was right. He really hadn't taken much time to explore the city.

He never actually realized how big it was, and it was only now, when he had to walk to the edge of the other side, that he could appreciate the sights and the sounds of the Dungeon City.

Adventurers were easy to recognize. They wore armor instead of clothes, and weapons hung from their hips or were slung behind their backs. It seemed being an adventurer had some kind of status to it, and the common folk often gave them a wide berth and dipped their heads in respect whenever they walked past.

Dressed in ordinary pants and a white shirt, there was no such treatment for him, and Godou found himself trying to squeeze through the crowd. It reminded him a little of the subway system in Japan during peak hours, an experience he didn't realize he missed until today.

The Monster Feria was a big event, it seemed. Almost everyone around him was talking about it excitedly, and Godou found out why quick enough. They were civilians, and the annual event was the only time when those who had never ventured into the Dungeon before could get a glimpse of the creatures that lurked within.

Now Godou was looking forward to it too. His recollection of his stint in the Dungeon could only be described as hazy. It had been a whirlwind of attacks and body parts, and he suspected that the sudden transmigration had left his mental faculties temporarily hindered. That, and he was supposed to have been decapitated by Thanatos' Scythe prior to coming here.

Maybe he _was_ dead, and Orario was his own, personal afterlife. It wasn't a bad one, if he had to be honest.

The sight of the Coliseum caused him to be hit by a wave of nostalgia and no small amount of guilt. It was big, far larger than the one that had once existed in the city of Rome.

Even five centuries later, destroying the Roman Coliseum, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, was something he regretted deeply. Worst of all, he hadn't even been fighting a Heretic God. No, it was all Erica's fault. One afternoon with her, she had promised. That was all she needed from him, and when he'd conceded, he'd found himself loaded up into the next plane to Italy, where he had been forced to have a duel with Erica in front of the bigwigs from the Italian magical authorities. The Coliseum had been the unfortunate target of the Boar when he'd unleashed the Divine Beast, and the historical landmark had crumbled into dust within minutes.

The local, mortal authorities cited a freak earthquake as the cause. Personally, Godou blamed Erica.

As he neared the giant structure and the crenelated watchtowers on its roof loomed over him, Godou gulped. He hoped nothing happened to this one.

 **XXXXXXXXX**

Finding Syr had been easier than he'd initially thought.

The gray-haired girl had been roaming around in her green waitress uniform, a dejected look on her face as she stared at all the little stalls that dotted the area around the Coliseum, knowing she couldn't buy anything there.

"My purse!" she sang in delight when Godou had walked up to her, dangling the object in front of her face.

After explaining the situation, she seemed slightly upset. "So Mama Mia just gave you an off-day like that? I had to go on my knees and beg her to let me come."

"Maybe it's because I'm new." Godou shrugged. "But here I am anyway. We've got a little bit of time before the event actually starts, is there anything you want to do?"

A mischievous twinkle reached her eye. She suddenly wrapped her arms around Godou's own, pulling him to her chest. "Yes! It's a date, then!"

Godou felt keenly disturbed. Syr was like... what, seventeen, eighteen?

He was almost thirty times her age. He knew she was joking, but he still couldn't help but to feel creeped out, and he quickly peeled her off his body. "Let's call it something else. Date sounds...weird," he said.

"Why?" The human girl dipped her lips. "Do you dislike me?"

"No!" he immediately denied. He hadn't meant to hurt her. "I like you! But not in that way! We're just two...friends. Yes, we're two friends that are...hanging out."

"Hmmm..." Syr narrowed her eyes. "Is there someone else Godou would rather go on a date with?"

"What?"

"Is it May? Could the secret ingredient to all of Godou's dishes that makes his food so tasty be his love for his fellow chef?"

"No!" From the way that her voice was laced with more mischief than jealousy, he knew she was just teasing him. Still, he needed to nip any potential rumors at the bud.

"Ryuu then! I know you made her angry yesterday! A lover's quarrel, perhaps?"

"No!" Where was Syr getting all this from?

She seemed at a loss momentarily, but she took a step back, her eyes widening in horror. "Don't tell me...you're chasing Lady Loki? Are all those afternoon chats you've been having with her the foolish, yet hopelessly romantic, attempts of a mortal to woo the heart of a goddess?"

Godou had no words to respond to her. The girl's imagination seemed to know no bounds. He'd known Syr to be a bit...nosy, but this was going too far!

"No response...," Syr muttered to herself. "I must spread the word!"

Those words shook him out from his stunned stupor. He quickly grabbed Syr's hand before she could run off, not noticing how the action caused her to redden in the face. "You're not spreading anything because nothing you said is true! I'm just...not looking for anything or anyone right now," he explained.

At her somewhat frightened nod, he let go of her hand.

Her stomach suddenly growled, and Syr looked away in embarrassment.

"Uh...would you like to eat some food?" she asked nervously.

"Sure," Godou said, stuffing his hands into his pockets. He was curious to learn about the local delicacies of Orario that weren't found in the menu of the Hostess. "Lead the way."

She let out an excited squeal, skipping away, humming a bubbly tune as she did so. He found himself smiling, and he had to admit that the girl's cheerful and jovial aura seemed almost infectious.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXX**

There were more than a few gods in the audience, which definitely had to number in the thousands. With so many people for them to blend in with, Godou found it difficult to identify who they were, especially given their propensity to dress up as ordinary human beings. Then there was Ganesha, a semi-naked man who wore an elephant mask on his face and was parading himself at the center of the arena.

"I am Ganesha!" the man declared loudly, as if he hadn't done so three times already in the past five minutes.

Syr giggled as she ate the crepe in her hand. Godou had been surprised to learn that they existed in this fantasy world as well. "Sometimes it's easy to forget that Gods have the power to destroy the city if they wanted to, right Godou?"

Godou smiled weakly. It wasn't as funny to him when he'd actually seen Gods that had done just that.

The roar of cheers and the eruption of applause from the people around caused Godou to redirect his attention back to the main stage, where he saw the first monster being released from a cage that had been brought up from a trap door.

Ganesha had returned to his own seat, and another masked man took center stage, wielding nothing more than a whip.

Given that they were sitting near the edge of the Coliseum, and with the cacophony of sound drowning his ears, Godou found it difficult to hear what it was that the adventurer was saying, only knowing that the strange creature was called a Hard-Armored. It looked liked one of those armored dinosaurs he used to see in books or documentaries.

When a gong rang, the creature charged towards the adventurer with a burst of speed Godou hadn't expected the clumsy-looking beast to have. A blast of fire that erupted from the adventurer's hand hit the ground in front of the Hard-Armored, causing it to roar and change direction at the last moment.

Another wave of applause came from the crowd, and Syr was sitting at the edge of her seat next to him as she started to cheer loudly as well. As the show progressed, Godou found their taming methods similar to the bullfighting techniques employed by the Spanish Matadors. Erica had once dragged him to watch a bullfight on their anniversary, and the general meta of both processes seemed remarkably identical.

The first few minutes were spent with the adventurer avoiding the Hard-Armored's more powerful attacks, rolling away, or redirecting it somehow with a magic spell. It served to allow him to tire the monster while learning its habits. When the adventurer seemed satisfied, he finally brought the whip in his hand into play.

"Look at all that blood!" Syr gasped, pointing to the numerous red puddles on the floor. "Isn't this monster supposed to have armor? How is a whip doing this much damage?"

"There are small spikes at the tip of the whip," Godou observed. "And I'm guessing this adventurer is much higher-leveled than the Hard-Armored, so his attacks can probably pierce through."

Despite being focused on the match, Godou could feel Syr's gaze dart towards him in surprise. "Godou. You have very good eyesight. I think even a Werewolf would have had trouble seeing something so small from so far away."

Damn. He had been too transfixed on the spectacle in front of him to keep a lid on his abilities. He kept quiet, hoping Syr's attention would be drawn back to the adventurer's attempts to weaken the bull by draining it of its blood. Another tactic that had been employed by Spanish bullfighters, where they aimed for specific muscles with short spears to cripple the bull.

It was the final stage where things differed. While Matadors would go for the killing blow, piercing the bull's heart, the adventurer opted for another strategy. His strategy was to tame the monster after all, not slay it. Flicking his wrist, his whip wrapped itself around the Hard-Armored's neck.

A hard yank on the makeshift leash caused the entire monster to jerk its body in the opposite direction, roaring in agony and defiance. For a while, it continued to resist, chasing after the adventurer and refusing to listen to its whip-bound commands. But its movements were sluggish and slow, and the adventurer was able to run circles around the Hard-Armored with ease, only tiring it more.

Finally, it gave up, and the next time the adventurer tugged the whip, the Hard-Armored obediently took a step forward in the right direction, its head drooping down with exhaustion. Wearing a big grin on his face, the adventurer, panting deeply, bowed to the crowd, waving back when everyone, including Godou, clapped and cheered for his efforts.

He had to admit it was impressive, though a single glance at the tamed monster told Godou it would be dying from its wounds within a few hours anyway.

"That was amazing, wasn't it Godou? They say that monsters are supposed to hate adventurers on sight, but for us to actually tame them only shows us that the Dungeon can be conquered, right?" Syr said hopefully.

"I think the Hard-Armored will still try to kill the adventurer if it has the chance to," Godou pointed out. "It's just too tired to right now."

"It's so tough! I don't see how someone like Bell is going to be able to fight ten of these at once!" she said, completely ignoring everything he said.

Despite having only interacted with the boy once, Godou agreed with her. The Dungeon seemed to be a lot more dangerous than he'd initially thought, and Godou wondered just how many people died in there everyday.

The next few rounds continued, the monsters seemingly becoming harder and the strategies of the adventurers becoming more complex and riskier.

And finally, after ending with the Captain of the Ganesha Familia taming a Bugbear, Ganesha came down to the arena.

"I am Ganesha!" he announced. "To conclude this year's Monster Feria, I have something very special planned!"

The excitement of the crowd was audible, and the anticipation for Ganesha's next words grew so thick Godou was certain he could have cut it with a knife. The Ganesha Familia had put up an excellent display already, and even Godou found himself wondering just what amazing finale the god had in mind.

"This year, we're going to try to let an audience member try to tame a monster!"

Numerous gasps could be heard as Ganesha put his hands to his hips triumphantly. Even Godou found himself frowning. From what he'd seen, some of the monsters here had actually been quite strong and dangerous, and the tamers had no doubt spent at least months training and practicing before they could accomplish their individual feats. The ordinary civilian wouldn't stand a chance.

At sensing the trepidation of the audience, Ganesha flashed a winning smile. "Do not worry, my wonderful children! The monster I have chosen is not very strong! Additionally, I have given my dear Captain, Shakti, the responsibility of keeping you safe. She will step in before the monster even has the chance of killing you!"

That...didn't put Godou at ease very much. Wasn't there also the possibility that Shakti would step in and end the whole event within seconds if the challenger was an idiot? It didn't seem like this was planned out very well, and he could make out the disapproving frown on Shakti's own face. It looked as though as if she had only learnt of this development recently as well.

"Any volunteers?"

"Me! I want to try fighting a monster!" Syr screamed, thrusting her hand into the air. She wasn't the only one. Dozens of other people in the crowd were shouting, demanding to be picked. Unfortunately, in her excitement, the girl had knocked over her drink, and a cup's worth of soda spilled onto Godou's pants.

He sighed when he realized the girl hadn't even noticed. She was certainly quite adventurous, he'd give her that, though he doubted she would be able to do it. Pulling out a napkin he'd swiped from the Hostess, Godou bent over to wipe himself dry. Hopefully, Ganesha wouldn't pick Syr. He'd hate for her to get hurt, and while he had faith in the abilities of the Ganesha Familia's Captain, accidents weren't always preventable.

If she really wanted to see a monster, Godou would rather he bring her into the Dungeon, where he knew at least he could protect her. In the stands, so far away from the action, he might not be able to react and reach in time.

Finally done cleaning up, Godou straightened, and was going to chide Syr for ruining the clothes when he realized that she was already staring at him wide-eyed and mouth agape. So she'd realized, good. Then he realized she wasn't the only one. Everybody around him had craned their necks to get a good view of him, and Godou realized the entire stadium seemed to have fallen eerily silent. Had he done something odd?

"You."

He immediately looked up, where Ganesha was pointing a lone finger at him from the arena.

"I choose you."

Godou blinked.

This was bullshit.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Shakta had felt quite happy when the boy Ganesha had chosen refused at first.

Unlike her god, at least he had some common sense.

She shouldn't have been here. She should've been outside, trying to hunt down the monsters that had somehow managed to escape. Ganesha had been right to continue to the Festival. The more people in the Coliseum, the fewer people there would on the streets to become potential prey. In the Coliseum and the area around it, they were under the protection of the Ganesha Familia, and thus safe.

But she didn't agree with Ganesha's order that she remain here. As Captain of the Familia, it was her responsibility to clean up the mess that had arisen from the carelessness of her subordinates. While she was stuck here playing Ganesha's games, her higher-Leveled adventurers were roaming the cities, trying to locate the monsters while enlisting the help of the Guild and other Familias. She should've been out there, helping them, but nooooo, she was stuck here on babysitting duty.

She didn't know what Ganesha was thinking, asking a random civilian to tame a Level Two monster. A Level One would have made _some_ sense, but wasn't this too dangerous, even if she was to supervise? If this was Ganesha's idea of stalling for time while waiting for the wayward monsters to be caught, then it was self-defeating, because putting the life of an audience member at risk was not the way to do it.

The wave of applause caused her to look up, and she felt a brief moment of panic when she saw the boy reluctantly stand up and begin to walk down the stand.

 _No, you idiot! Sit back down! Don't fall for Ganesha's trap!_ All around him people began to clap and cheer for him, particularly the young girl who had been sitting next to him. Was that perhaps why the boy had given in? To impress a girl that he fancied?

Stupid boy.

Standing next to Ganesha, the god introduced the challenger as Godou, a chef from a tavern. There had been a small hope in her that Ganesha had coincidentally chosen an adventurer, but that was ruled out.

Accepting a whip from the beaming Ganesha, the boy lazily strolled across the arena and stopped in front of her. The subsequent sigh he let out told her that he really didn't want to be here.

"Why did you accept?" she hissed. "You know you might get injured, or even die, right?"

"Yeah." He rubbed his head sheepishly. "But I figured it was better for it to be me than someone else." She saw him glance momentarily at the girl he was sitting next to, and her impression of him improved only marginally. Self-sacrifice was still a sacrifice.

"You're still an idiot. Why accept if you know can't do it?" she whispered.

The boy frowned. An angry tic mark appeared in the corner of the face. "If you're so against this, why did you include it in _your_ festival?" he seethed back.

Shakti was taken aback from the honesty behind his words. "Because Gods are stubborn idiots," she mumbled.

The boy looked surprised. Then he smiled. "Amen."

The clinking and clanking of moving chains announced the opening of the trapdoor, and a sealed cage was brought to the surface. The sound of grunts and something striking against the metal caused the boy next to her to whistle.

"Do you have a plan?" she asked. It was already too late to back out.

The boy nodded. "A few. But nothing too flashy."

"Flashy?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. He was just an ordinary civilian right? He sounded a little too confident to be one.

"Hypothetically speaking," the boy began. "If I were to just stand in front of the monster and let it attack me...you'll have no choice but to kill it, right?"

Shakti blinked. So maybe the boy wasn't as stupid as she thought. But there were other problems with that approach of course. "Yes, I suppose that would be the case, hypothetically speaking. But then it wouldn't be a very good show and a lot of the audience will be upset."

Still, Shakti would take an upset audience over a dead chef any day.

"That's true," the boy said, considering her words. "Decisions, decisions."

The door to the cage began to lower, and Shakti leaned in for one last whisper. "Do what you need to do to survive. Just remember that your life is the most important thing here."

The Battle Boar rushed out of the cage as she leaped away, trampling the door beneath its feet and letting out a guttural roar of hatred and anger.

Shakti grimaced. A Battle Boar was more than a whole head taller than Godou, and its immense strength, dexterity, and speed made it a challenge for even some Level Twos. Godou didn't stand a chance.

Shakti gulped. So why was he smiling?

 **XXXXXXXXXXX**

Irony? Coincidence? Fate?

Godou had no idea what to call this, but he felt like laughing.

Of all the monsters that existed in the Dungeon, the one had had to fight in the Coliseum just _had to be_ a Battle Boar.

It looked like a much tinier version of the Boar that he could actually call out, and he briefly entertained the idea of summoning the Divine Beast to fight its miniature counterpart. He shot down the notion immediately. Firstly, there were actually people _in the_ Coliseum this time. Secondly, he had no intention of destroying another landmark. And thirdly, he'd already decided that he wouldn't resort to any Authorities.

He was keenly aware that everybody's eyes were on him, including those of Gods. Ganesha hadn't picked him by random chance. Godou was almost certain that Ganesha recognized him and planned for this. He had been hunched over, looking at his pants, and he hadn't even had his hand up! With that in mind, he wasn't going to give the Gods the satisfaction of sating their curiosity by revealing his abilities.

That being said...taming the boar without the use of his more active Campione powers was going to be difficult. His naturally sturdy body and nigh-unbreakable bones was definitely going to be useful, as well as his quick reactions and enhanced strength. But Godou wasn't sure if that was going to be enough. The Battle Boar looked dangerous. It probably was, actually.

As he took a few steps back, increasing the distance between him and the monster, Godou weighed the pros and cons of actually following through with the plan he'd proposed to Shakti. The blue-haired adventurer had already drawn out her sword, standing a short distance away, ready to jump in at any moment.

Godou wasn't going to fool himself. Giving up and letting Shakti handle things would be the easy way out. The crowd would be dissatisfied, and he'd probably be booed and jeered out. He didn't really mind the negative attention, but even he found the prospect of just surrendering like that quite lame. He tried imagining how his girls would've reacted if they ever saw such a display.

Yuri would probably still fawn over him, making sure he was alright, but still not quite able to hide the disappointment in her eyes.

Liliana would have been quite cross with him, saying how surrendering was beneath someone of his station, and that as a Devil King, he should have acted as one and chosen to stand his ground, especially against such a weak monster.

Ena would likely go around telling everyone how he hadn't found the boar a worthy opponent, but end up berating him for being a coward in private.

And Erica...he shuddered. Erica would have probably gone and captured ten Battle Boars by herself and then drop them on him when he was alone and couldn't escape, just to punish him for making her look bad.

Godou was almost happy that the girls weren't with him anymore. But their memories and their expectations of him still lived on, and Godou found himself gripping the whip in his hand tightly. So that plan went out of the window.

At the very least, he had to put up a show, and if he was going to try, then he sure as hell wasn't going to _lose_.

The boar finally noticed him and let out an angry huff as it readjusted its body so that it could face him directly. Godou grimaced when he saw the long and sharp tusks protruding out of its mouth, wondering how many adventurers had met their ends by being gored by one of these monsters.

The boar lowered its head as it spread its legs slightly, getting ready to charge. Godou looked at the whip in his hand uncertainly. He'd seen many tamers use the whip and its sharp crack to scare their own foes into changing directions when they attacked. There was only one problem.

Godou had no idea how to use a whip. He'd used a multitude of weapons, and some of his Authorities could take the shape of a weapon, like Lancelot or Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi. But he'd never used a whip before. With the sharp barbs at the end of the leather cord, Godou was just as likely to hurt himself with it, and that would've been downright humiliating.

Why had Ganesha even given him this? Did the God somehow expect the everyday folk of Orario to know how to use such an unorthodox weapon? Was this some kind of test? He frowned. He wasn't going to use the whip, but he was still unwilling to let it go. If he was going to face the boar with the mindset of an ordinary human, he wasn't going to drop his only weapon. It might end up useful in some other way.

The boar charged, and Godou saw Shakti tense up. With the strength of the Bull, he could easily take the attack head-on. With the Camel, he could've jumped onto his hands and kicked the monster across the entire arena. But he was nothing more than a human with an enhanced body right now, and the only safe option he saw was to roll out of the way.

The crowd burst into applause. Ganesha, acting as the commentator, praised his dexterity. He saw Shakti shake her head. Well, it was too late to surrender already, wasn't it? He'd chosen to fight.

The Battle Boar faced him again. It let out an enraged squeal, bearing its tusks and rearing its feet. Another charge.

This time, when he rolled away, the crowd's ensuing gasp served as a warning. He immediately turned around, and was met with the massive body of the Boar screeching to halt directly behind him. His body and instincts _screamed_ at him to do something, and he hastily brought his arms in front of him in an X-formation to serve as an impromptu guard as he tried to jump away from his crouch.

His arms exploded with agony and he found himself staring at the blue sky as he sailed through the air. Okay, maybe jumping while the boar kicked in him the face with its hind legs wasn't the brightest idea. He didn't even know they could do that.

His arms had taken the brunt of the blow, but the momentum had still sent him flying.

His fall was cushioned by a pair of hands catching him and holding him steady.

"Sorry," Shakti apologized, looking extremely guilty. "I couldn't stop you from getting hit."

"Not your fault," Godou grumbled, wincing as he got up to his feet.

"Are you alright?" she asked, looking at his arm in concern. "Your arm...its probably broken. I've seen Battle Boars shatter rocks with a stomp. I think you should call it quits, you've done well already."

Done well? Godou scoffed internally. He'd only managed to dodge _once_. "I'm fine." He brought his arm up to show Shakti. "See? Only a bruise," he said, waving his arm about.

Shakti's eyes widened. It was an ugly bruise, but given that he could still move it without additional pain, there was probably nothing else.

Still, it hurt, and Godou felt annoyed that he'd gotten hit in the first place.

"Shakti, do monsters have bigger brains than animals?"

The girl blinked, clearly not expecting that question. "Um. I don't know? If you're asking about their battle awareness, some monsters have been observed to react to the strategies of adventurers."

"Like the boar anticipating my dodge?" he asked.

"Yes," she agreed, still looking doubtful. "Godou, don't tell me you still want to continue..."

"Of course," Godou said, grinning. The adrenaline coursing through his veins. The sound of pumping blood reverberating within his ears. The thumping feeling of his heart racing in his chest. "I haven't won yet."

"Godou...how can you still smile?" Shakti now looked positively worried for him, as though he'd gone crazy or something.

His grin grew bigger. "I've got a plan now."

"AND OUR CHALLENGER CONTINUES TO FIGHT!" Ganesha shouted, to the crowd's delight, as Godou made his way to the boar.

In response, the beast bared its fangs. Godou didn't even feel surprised anymore that the monster pig _had_ fangs. This wasn't an animal; it was a monster, one that he needed to fight.

Godou walked towards it steadily, even as it readied itself for another charge. He uncoiled the whip such that it trailed behind him. He might not know how to use a whip, but he certainly knew how to use a rope.

The Battle Boar charged. Godou timed his dodge perfectly, mimicking the exact conditions as before. When the boar braked to a stop behind him to go for the kick, he had already turned and he dove forward some more, rolling in such a way that he was facing the boar face-to-face when its hind legs were in the air.

Its breath stank, but that was the least of Godou's concerns because he only had moments to enact his plan. The monster was still in a sort-of handstand, it head tilted towards the ground and its feet in the air. Godou's hands reached out, dodging the pigs snapping mouth, and pressed down on its cranium, using it as a springboard to leap frog over its head an landing on its body. That wasn't all he had done though.

Its hind legs slammed into the ground as the pig recoiled, now fully aware that it had a human being sitting on top of its back.

"MY GOODNESS! OUR BRAVE CHALLENGER HAS MOUNTED THE MONSTER!" Ganesha sounded absolutely stunned.

It was something Godou had learnt while he was practicing with the Authority of the Boar. While he couldn't fully control the Divine Beast yet, he had figured out that if he sat on the Boar as it charged towards its target, Godou could sort of influence its direction and even force it to stop if he yanked on its fur hard enough.

He doubted the same applied to the Battle Boar, but thanks to all that training, Godou was pretty adept at sitting on monsters and not falling off. He swiveled on the spot, so that he was now facing in the same direction of the boar, taking gentle care to not drop either ends of the whip he held in both hands.

The furious pig buckled, throwing its body in every direction possible. It jumped. It accelerated and decelerated. It swung its body left and right. Every attempt to shake Godou off, Godou responded by yanking the whip in his arms.

"IS HE HOLDING ON TO A PAIR OF REINS? YES IT IS! LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, OUR CHALLENGER HAS MADE A BRIDLE AND REINS USING THE WHIP! WHAT AN INGENIOUS IDEA!"

The whip was now looped across the boar's neck, and Godou poured every ounce of strength he had into pulling it, cutting of the monster's air supply in order to weaken it. He'd never thought the horseback riding lessons Liliana had forced him to go through to come in useful like this. He'd dragged the whip across the boar's chin and across its neck when he'd jumped over it, and now all Godou needed was a proper saddle to feel like a real cowboy on a rodeo.

The Battle Boar continued to fight, and Godou used his legs to act as clamps, pinching the monster's body so he wouldn't fall off, all while continuing to yank on the rope. Actually sitting on the boar, Godou could feel its lungs struggling, and every labored breath it took seemed to drain the boar more and more.

Yes! The plan was working! Now he just needed to hang on for a little longer and-

His world suddenly tilted sideways. In horror, Godou realized the boar was going to roll over, trying to squash him with its body weight. Godou hadn't anticipated this. He couldn't readjust to another position to escape it; the boar would kick or bite him in the process. The ground was almost right next to him when he came up with his next great idea.

Just when he was about to be crushed, he slid off, slamming into the boar with all his might in the opposite direction of its roll to interrupt it. The boar came to a halt belly up, its legs uselessly running on air. He had to act fast; it wouldn't stay like that for more than a few moments.

His heart racing, Godou jumped into action, throwing the whip across its body and then pulling it back once it had gone over the legs the side opposite of him. Then he tightened the loop, ensnaring all four of its legs in a tiny loop. When the boar tried to roll back in the opposite direction, a strong tug of the rope caused its stuck legs to act as a lever, where its body was the pivot, locking the boar in place. With its legs bound, the boar could only roll, relying on the shifting of its body weight to disturb its balance to move. With control over its legs, Godou now controlled its balance.

He could feel the monsters' legs trying to break free of its restraints as he began to tie the first of several dead knots. He'd once read somewhere that while a crocodile's snapping jaws could break bones effortlessly, duct tape was more than enough to seal its mouth shut. He hoped the same applied to the boar's legs.

Lady Luck offered him a rare smile when it seemed that was exactly the case. No matter how hard the boar tried, it couldn't break the first knot. In a matter of seconds, the trap was complete, and Godou had beside him a Battle Boar stuck on its side, its legs completely tied up.

Panting, Godou wiped the sweat that had pooled on its forehead. Behind him, the boar snarled ferociously, but with no way of getting on its feet, it could only rely on short, jerky movements to try to reach biting distance of Godou, by which then he'd relocated.

"Does that count?" he asked Shakti as she walked up to him.

She had on her face a look of complete disbelief. She raised a shaking hand. "You...captured it."

"Yeah," Godou felt his lips dipping. "I guess that doesn't really count as taming it, huh."

"It takes three Level Twos ten minutes to catch one, and you did it by yourself in five."

Godou blinked. The arena was silent. Even Ganesha had his mouth hanging open.

"Godou, that was amazing!" Syr's high pitch voice rang out somewhere above, and he saw the green-clad girl rise to her feet and begin to clap her hands wildly.

Looking at each other, the rest of the audience slowly stood up, and a scattering of applause evolved into a discord of cheers, whistles and claps.

It was deafening, and standing next to Shakti, Godou realized that from the audience's perspective, they had just watched an untrained civilian capture a Level Two monster. Their standing ovation was justified.

He felt his face warming up from all the attention. "I wasn't expecting this."

"I don't think anybody was," Shakti said with a smile. She shook her head. "I can't believe you pulled it off. I was tempted so many times to jump in, but you looked like you were having so much fun and knew what you were doing, I couldn't bring myself to."

Godou wanted to reach up and scratch his hair, a habit he'd always had when he got embarrassed, but stopped when he saw all the blood dripping from his fingers. "I'm...bleeding?"

"You didn't notice?" Shakti sounded surprised. "You were holding on to the spiked part of the whip for so long—obviously it would have cut you. Honestly, for what you've gained in return, it's a small sacrifice."

Godou blinked. He'd been holding onto what was basically barbed wire for a few minutes, and its barbs had sliced a good portion of his hand. And he hadn't even noticed? Had he been that engrossed in the fight? Even now, he felt no pain, but he was certain once the adrenaline wore off, it was going to be a different story.

"Drink this," Shakti said, pulling out a vial of blue liquid. "It's a healing potion."

Godou took it with his healthy hand gratefully and chugged it down. Since it was a potion, his natural magic resistance wasn't as big as a problem and he felt instantly refreshed. He watched the purple-black splotch on his arm turn pink as the bruises on his arm healed. Skin and tissue re-knit itself on his other hand, and when he wiped the blood away, all that greeted him was rosy, unmarred skin.

"Thanks," he said, giving Shakti back the empty vial.

"No," Shakti said. "I must thank you, for turning our finale into such a stunning success. I was against it at the start...but now," she gestured around her, where the audience was still going crazy, "I think I will not mind witnessing it a second time." Her lips twitched upwards into a smile.

"No," Godou said immediately. "Once is enough."

Shakti burst into laughter.

"Amazing! Absolutely marvelous! Like watching a miracle before my eyes!" trumpeted Ganesha as the god walked up to them, his hands stuck in applause. "I am Ganesha!" he reintroduced himself to Godou.

Godou felt annoyance slowly replace his victory euphoria.

"So, are you satisfied?" he asked the god. "Did you see what you wanted to see?"

The god nodded his head enthusiastically. "And even more! I had my doubts at first, but now I do not regret picking you at all!"

"...doubts?" Godou repeated.

"Yes. I had not meant to call on you at first," Ganesha confessed sheepishly. "I had wanted that lovely maiden next to you at first, but when you saw me pointing in your direction looking all so stunned, I thought it would have been a funny prank to play, but you ended up playing along before I could clear things up. Now I know that it was fate nudging me in the right direction!"

"A...funny...prank?" Godou must have misheard. Ganesha had meant to choose...Syr? "So...you never planned on choosing me?"

Ganesha folded his arms. "Of course not! Why would I? You never raised your hand!"

"So...you don't know who I am?" Godou asked, his mind still in a daze as he tried to understand the circumstances that had led to him fighting a Battle Boar in front of over a thousand people.

"I know who you are," Ganesha said very seriously. "My memory is not so bad. You are Godou, a chef from..." the god trailed off. He turned to Shakti, who had been watching the exchange from the side with an amused grin the whole time. "Shakti my dear, do you recall where our dear chef works?"

"He never said," the girl answered.

"No wonder," Ganesha said. "Please, Godou. Tell us where you work and where we can get a chance to sample your food. If you can cook half as well as you can fight, I'm certain it will be beyond delicious!"

He didn't know. Ganesha had no freaking clue who he was. He hadn't needed to come down and do this. Wait, but if Syr had been chosen instead...there was no way she could've accomplished the task without getting hurt. He nodded to himself. He did the right thing by going instead of Syr. That self-comforting realization made him take a deep breath and brought him back to reality, where Ganesha and Shakti were still waiting for an answer.

Mama Mia would never forgive him if she learnt that he gave up the chance to help her gain the patronage of _a whole_ _Familia_. "The Hostess of Fertility," he said dejectedly. "I work there."

"A splendid name for a splendid chef, who is also a splendid warrior! I shall see you there tomorrow night, Godou!"

With that, Ganesha turned and left, just in time for a masked adventurer to whisper something into the god's ear.

"The Hostess of Fertility, huh?" Shakti said, not choosing to leave with her god.

"You've heard of it?" he asked.

"It's the favorite haunt for a few Familias, though I've never personally gone. But I guess you'll be seeing me there a lot more from now on, Godou."

"But you've never even tried my cooking yet. What if you don't like it?"

"It's all the better if you're a bad cook!" laughed out Shakti. She took a step closer to him, giving him an alluring look. "It's not your food I want, Godou, it's you."

Godou immediately stumbled backwards, realizing just how close Shakti was to him. Alarm bells went off in his head. Certainly, the age gap between her and him wasn't as big as that with Syr, but it was still _very big_. "No, you don't want me. I'm just humble chef."

"Oh Godou. " Shakti adjusted her hair and turned around. "I'm not going to stop pestering you at the Hostess until you've agreed to join our Familia," she said as she walked off.

 _Oh no_ , Godou realized. _Here comes_ _another one_.

* * *

 **A/N:**  
 **So, as you can see, while I follow the general timeline, I believe in changing canon here and there and offering a new perspective on certain events!**

 **If you liked this chapter, do follow/fav it, or even leave a review! If you didn't like it, just a review is fine! (I won't mind the extra follow/fav tho) Also, I'm wondering if there's anyone here interested in being my Beta-reader? I'm looking for someone that isn't afraid to point out flaws and would like to contribute to the plot as well! Naturally, a strong command of the english language is a must above all else.**

 **See you soon!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Y'all have no idea how long I've been waiting for this chapter! I know everybody's been a little bit impatient for Godou to go all-out, so we're gonna get a teaser in this chapter wohoot. Can't wait to start writing the next one!**  
 **As for why I don't have Godou blasting out his authorities all the time...well, it's kinda like having cheat codes on GTA. It's fun at the start, but it gets pointless after all while.**

 **If y'all disagree means y'all haven't tried it.**

* * *

 **Chapter 4: Rivira**

Mama Mia's slap on his back sent Godou's face slamming into the table.

"Business is booming!" she chortled. "I never imagined giving you the day off would reel in so many customers!"

Rubbing his nose painfully, Godou frowned. It was true; the evening crowd yesterday was far bigger than normal, and there had even been a queue forming outside because people wanted a taste of the fabled "Boar Tamer's" cooking. He hadn't expected his little feat to draw this much attention. It seemed not using his Authorities hadn't worked out as well as he thought it would have.

But it wasn't as bad as it could have been. Godou had been surprised to learn that monsters had escaped from captivity during the Festival, and the ensuing chaos had done much to suppress his own tale. Still though, the increase in customers had a very observable impact on his workload. Even when Ganesha had barged into the tavern, boisterously introducing himself and demanding to see the chef, Mama Mia had calmly told him and his Familia to wait outside for a table to free up.

Or else.

It had been a small victory for him, but the rest of the Hostess weren't very pleased with the increase in pace. He could tell because many of them were giving him the stinkeye. Only Mama Mia seemed overjoyed with it as she announced the increase in revenue and profit during their monthly performance review.

"With that in mind, you've all done very well, and of course, your wages will all be adjusted to reflect this boost in our earnings," she concluded, garnering satisfied looks from everyone.

Godou hoped that would be enough for them to stop blaming him. It wasn't entirely his fault, after all.

Godou stretched and yawned. They couldn't do meetings like this during working hours, so they'd had to sacrifice some of their free time for it. He was looking forward to his nap.

The door slammed open and Ganesha walked in, the rest of his Familia trailing behind him.

Godou groaned. He must have jinxed himself somehow with that one thought.

"We're closed," Mama Mia said, crossing her arms. "Come back-" she suddenly stopped, realizing that something was not quite right.

Ganesha had tears streaming down his cheeks. He wasn't the only one. His entire Familia radiated a kind of somber and despondent atmosphere Godou had only felt at funerals.

"Girls. Drinks." Her voice was soft, barely above a whisper.

"But-" Arnya complained.

" _Now_."

The Cat-girl gulped and leaped to action, Chloe hot on her heels. Ganesha took a seat, but the rest of his Familia chose to stand and huddle around him.

Godou's eyes met Shakti's. He knew the girl and her god had been looking for him the whole of last night, but he never got around to talking to them. It was partly because he had been overloaded in the kitchen, and partly because he hadn't wanted to be badgered by requests to join the Ganesha Familia.

Loki sent him enough letters as it was already.

Now he was starting to wonder if it had been the right thing to do.

"Lord Ganesha, what ails you?" Mama Mia asked, her tone dropping to one of respect and sympathy.

"A child of mine has just passed in the Dungeon," the God said morosely. Godou could hear the grief in his voice, and it sounded so heartfelt and sincere that he instantly knew that Ganesha was heartbroken.

"I see." Mama Mia nodded her head, sounding apologetic. "I am sorry for your loss. And you wish to have a toast?"

Ganesha shook his head. "No. I want information. We have been going from tavern to tavern, hoping to gather any kind of hearsay or rumors that will shed light on his death."

Godou saw Shakti avert her eyes.

"What happened, Lord Ganesha?" he asked. "You make it sound as though his death was..." he wanted to say 'unnatural', but found that it was not quite the right word to use.

"He was murdered," Shakti filled in the silence. "In Rivira." She clenched her fists. "It is supposed to be a safe zone. And Hashana...Hashana was not weak. He was Level Four, and to think someone could do that to him..."

Ganesha placed a hand on her trembling shoulder.

"There you have it. We want to get to the bottom of this. Not just for Hanasha's sake, but for all the children who live in Orario. Something is going on, and even we Gods are starting to feel uneasy. First, the strange power and the earthquake we felt a month ago. Then there was the strange young man who stumbled out of the Dungeon." At this, Godou winced. Did Ganesha still not know? "I have heard rumors of new monster species appearing, and there were the errant monsters during my Festival. Hashana's death is the final straw. We cannot sit still and twiddle our thumbs. We must act now, before more people are hurt." The God pounded his fist onto the table. "On this I swear, for _I am Ganesha_!"

The flicker of power was all Godou needed to tense up immediately. Ganesha had done...something. He looked around, realizing that nobody else seemed to have felt the disturbance. Was is it only him, then? A small trace of divine power, perhaps? Undetectable except to Gods and Campiones?

Arnya and Chloe hurried over, drinks in hand. The adventurers took them gratefully. A small toast and a moment of silence later, Shakti dipped her head slightly.

"Please. If you have overheard anything that sounds remotely connected, let us know immediately."

The waitresses looked at each other for a moment. As one, they shook their heads.

"Sorry," Syr said. "I wish we could help, but we really haven't heard anything."

"I...see," Ganesha responded sullenly. "Do let us know if anything changes."

The god took one last sip of his drink before standing up.

"Lord Ganesha," Godou called out.

The god turned to look at him. A small smile crossed his face, though it looked pained and forced. "Ah. The Boar Tamer. I still remember you. I apologize that I did not manage to compliment you in person for your food yesterday. It was truly delicious."

He felt guilty.

"Lord Ganesha. You...you truly cared for Hashana, didn't you?"

The smile did not drop. "Of course. I took him in when he was eight years old. I saw him grow from a young boy into a fine man. He only reached Level Four a few months ago, and I felt so immensely proud of him. Now I regret not telling him those words."

Godou kept quiet, even as the Ganesha Familia left.

One by one, the waitresses left, leaving only Mama Mia and him in the room.

"Mama Mia..."

"Go."

He looked up, stunned.

"Go," she repeated.

"Just like that?"

She nodded. "You feel you have to, don't you? Maybe you're right, and your appearance has something to do with whatever that's brewing. Or maybe you're wrong, and it turns out they are two separate events. No matter what happens, unless you go, you won't ever know."

It frightened him a little just how good Mama Mia was at reading him. He supposed there was a reason she was so well-respected, and it wasn't only because she was Level Six. He gulped. "What if...what if it's somehow my fault?"

She shrugged. "Then make things right."

"While I'm gone..."

"Don't worry, I'll pay May your wages."

Godou shuddered. She was too good.

Still, he found himself smiling as he left the Hostess.

 **XxxxxxX**

Sinister thoughts plagued him as he walked towards the entrance of the Dungeon.

If what Ganesha said was true, then all the odd things that were happening all started with his arrival. It was something Godou feared, and could believe. Campiones were people that altered the course of fate with their very existences. Some seemed to be blessed with great luck, while Godou personally believed he was haunted by eternal misfortune. The idea that his presence had triggered a chain of events that endangered the citizens of Orario terrified him, only because he knew just how true it could be. It had happened before after all, since more than a few Heretic Gods had descended from the Netherworld and threatened to lay waste to entire cities unless he agreed to fight them.

If something along that line was happening here...he had to put an end to it.

He tried his best to recall the exact circumstances the followed after his arrival here.

He could not. Everything was fuzzy, a messy blur of fighting and walking. There had been nothing else.

Walk.

Fight.

Walk.

Fight.

The grotesque forms of the monsters bled into each other, and Godou struggled to even recollect a distinct image of _any_ monster he had come across.

The only thing he remembered was looking up at the Sun and then blacking out, before waking up in a bed next to Aiz Wallenstein.

It had felt so long ago, but in reality it hadn't even been a month.

"Godou?" a surprised voice said next to him.

He turned, blinking in surprise when Shakti Varma walked up to him. "Shakti. What are you doing here?" he asked. "I thought you were...gathering information."

A sorrowful expression marred her pretty face. "Lord Ganesha asked me to collect the body. I am heading to Rivira right now."

Ah, a painful but necessary task. One no one should do by themselves.

"The Eighteenth Floor, right?" Godou recalled. "Do you mind if I follow along? I was thinking about exploring the Dungeon for a bit."

In truth, Godou had no idea where to start. But if the strange happenings _were_ his fault, he had no doubt that it didn't matter where he was, but as long as he was in the Dungeon, trouble would find him instead.

"Sure," Shakti agreed, her mind clearly somewhere else. She took a few steps forward and Godou followed. She suddenly stopped, causing Godou to nearly bump into her.

"Godou."

"Yes?"

"Aren't you a chef?"

"Yes."

"So you're not an adventurer, right?"

"Hmmm. No, I don't think I can call myself one," he admitted.

She turned around and glared at him. "And you want to go to the Dungeon. And to the Eighteenth Floor, no less."

"Yes?" Godou replied uncertainly, though he was quite certain that wasn't the answer she was looking for.

"Are you stupid? Just because you somehow managed to tame a Battle Boar doesn't mean that you can suddenly take on the Dungeon!" The girl exploded into fury. "Do you know even seasoned Level Twos have died on the way the Rivira simply because of carelessness and bad luck? Has it occurred to you that _there's a reason_ why people gain the blessings of Gods before deciding to become an adventurer? You don't just suddenly decide to explore the Dungeon on a whim! It takes training, preparation, and a Falna!"

"I'll be fine, I've gone in before," he said reassuringly.

"You have?" she blinked in surprise. She eyed him curiously. "But you don't even have a weapon..."

He flashed her a grin. "Don't worry, I do. It's just not something I like taking out when there are other people around."

Her frown remained on her face. "I don't think it's a good idea."

He shrugged. "It doesn't matter. I'm going in even if you think it's a bad idea. I want to do it." At this, he got a little bit more serious. "There's something I need to see for myself."

Her eyes narrowed. "Is this about Hashana's murder?"

"It might be."

Shakti thought about it for a long time. "Fine. I'll bring you along with me. But the moment I feel that you're unprepared for the Dungeon, you _have to_ go back, are we clear?"

"Deal."

Inside, Godou was relieved. If Shakti wasn't there to guide him, he'd probably end up lost, and who knew how long it would take for him to get out _this time_.

 **XxxxxxX**

"Something's not right," Shakti said worriedly.

"What are you talking about? Everything's fine!" Godou said cheerfully. "We've gone so far without seeing a single monster!"

"Why do I get the feeling that this is somehow _your_ fault?" the woman mumbled accusingly. "Seventeen Floors without seeing a single monster...absurd. Did this happen the last time you were in the Dungeon?"

"No," Godou said, and left it at that.

"We're almost reaching the Floor Boss. I heard he was taken down a few days ago, but we can never be too careful."

"Floor Boss?" Godou asked, never hearing of such a thing before.

"A Monster Rex. Powerful monsters with a very long respawn time. They're usually two or three levels higher than the rest of the monsters on the floor, and killing one typically requires a party at the least."

Godou blinked. Flashbacks began to assault him, and he hazily recalled fighting some kind of giant skeleton that had wielded a giant stick. Huh. Perhaps that had been a Floor Boss.

They continued to walk, and Godou followed Shakti's slow pace as she cautiously entered a giant cavern with walls that looked to be solid crystal, heaving a sigh of relief when she found that it was empty. "It seems we are lucky. The Goliath has not respawned yet."

Godou instantly felt that something was wrong.

He crinkled his nose. "I smell smoke," he said. "It's very far away, but there's a very big fire going on."

Shakti sniffed the air a few times and frowned. "I don't smell anything. Do you know where it's coming from?"

Godou pointed at the tunnel that was across the room.

Her eyes widened. "That's the entrance to Rivira! If there's a big fire...we must go now!"

She grabbed his hand before breaking out into a sprint, running across the smooth floor as if their lives depended on it.

As they reached closer, Godou discovered it wasn't a tunnel. It was a giant hole.

"Jump!" Shakti shouted, flinging her own body into the darkness.

Unfortunately, because their fingers were still interlocked, Godou suddenly found himself diving into the abyss, and felt the wind knocked out of him when he hit a wall of some kind on the way down.

This wasn't a hole, he realized. It was a giant slide. He felt his body careening across the smooth rock surface through the twisting tunnel, and at some point Shakti let go of him. This was precisely why he needed a guide. As someone who would have liked to believe he was a naturally sane person, jumping into random holes in the ground was something he'd never do on purpose.

The brightness hit him before the ground. But the ground was still a close second and his face slid across dirt and grass as he belly-flopped onto some kind of field. Trying to catch his bearings, Godou thought for a moment they had exited the Dungeon, but a quick survey of the sky revealed that there wasn't any. Instead, the giant crystal-like dome that covered the vast expanse of the Eighteenth Floor seemed to emit light of its own, mimicking the Sun in the outside world.

Standing up, he found himself overlooking a cliff's edge and instantly found his breath taken away by the beauty before him. He could see why people called this place a safe zone. Luscious forests and grassy plains stretched across the entire area, and a large lake was tucked into one side. At the center of it, a giant tree stood planted in the middle of the Floor, reminding Godou of the legend of Yggdrasil. And at the very bottom of the tree, a small town.

It was burning. Smoke billowed out of windows as tongues of flames licked across the wooden walls and fences of the settlement.

He could identify green, four-legged, vine-like monsters crawling across the town, with heads that resembled Venus-Flytraps. Adventurers were darting all around, some putting up a fight, others simply trying to run away.

"Another invasion," Shakti said, her lips forming into a thin grimace.

"Another one? You mean this has happened before?" Godou asked in surprise.

The captain of the Ganesha Familia nodded. "Invasions aren't uncommon. Rivira has been rebuilt many times. But I do not recognize these monsters. That in itself makes this worth investigating. You wait here. I am going to join the counterattack effort."

With that, Shakti vanished, leaving behind a rather conflicted Godou.

There was a battle in front of him. His Campione instincts had already kicked in, and he could feel his arms shaking in excitement. Dormant Authorities and abilities resurfaced in his mind, demanding to be called upon. He felt the corners of lips rising slowly in a grin, and immediately suppressed the urge to complete the action.

Was this his fight?

It was a rare experience for him. A battle occurring within sight, one that didn't involve him. He was certain the adventurers could handle themselves. Like Shakti said, this happened all the time. Eventually, the adventurers would win and the town would be rebuilt.

This was a chance for him to be completely selfish. To not care about his position as a Campione in the slightest and get away with a clean conscience.

Godou swallowed. People might die if he did nothing. But that was the difference between adventurers and civilians. Adventurers were supposed to be prepared to die.

The haunting image of Ganesha's final pained smile suddenly hit him like a truck.

He clenched his fists. Every adventurer here was a member of a Familia, weren't they? How many of them were the prides and joys of their Familias? How many of Gods patiently awaited their return to Orario, knowing that there was always a possibility they might never come back? How many Gods had sacrificed their power and their comfort to walk among mortals, all to raise their children with their own hands?

The Gods here were not bad people, and it was a truth Godou had come to realize a long time ago. And yet he had done nothing but to sit on it.

He never liked the Heretic Gods in his old world. And the simple fact that he enjoyed the thrill of fighting them made him hate himself. Heretic Gods were selfish. They were hedonistic. They were cruel. They razed cities to the ground to draw his attention and to get him to fight them. They were no different from toddlers who threw tantrums to get what they wanted.

And Godou had indulged them. Always. Knowing that people would be hurt from his inaction had always dragged him to his feet and to face his new challenger. And in the course of their ensuing battle, maps would be redrawn, landscapes would be reshaped, lives would be ruined.

And at the end? All Godou would feel was exhilaration and satisfaction from winning. There was no exception. It wouldn't be until much later that he realized that all the destruction had been partly his fault, and then he would wallow in self-loath and despair, relying on his girls to bring him out of it by telling him he'd done the world a favor.

At least, until the next Heretic God came along, and then the cycle would repeat itself.

He hated being a Campione.

But that was in his old world. What about here?

People here did not see him as a pillar of might to measure their own power against. Heretic Gods, his natural enemies, did not exist. Instead, they were replaced with caring, impotent, _friendly_ ones. It was one thing to reject their recruitment attempts. But letting their precious Familia members die just because he was being selfish...

Godou laughed because he had no idea how else to react.

How was he any different from Heretic Gods? Or from Voban and Luo Hao?

He clenched his fists

All he wanted was a normal life. To be like any other average person. In the past, that had meant not fighting Heretic Gods and other Campiones. It had meant not having to constantly fear for his life or the safety of those he cared about

What about here, in this new world, where fighting monsters seemed to be the norm? Lives were always at stake for these adventurers, and yet they braved the dangers of the Dungeon everyday for all kinds of reasons.

And then there were the Gods that supported them. The word Familia obviously meant something. They were family. They lived with each other, cried with each other, loved each other.

It was a system he could not bring himself to hate, even if he had no desire to be a part of it. In some sense, the sheer powerlessness of the Gods made them more human than _he_ was. And for that, he empathized with them. Every time a Heretic God or another Campione challenged him, his girls would always be dragged into the fight, forced to face an opponent far more powerful than they were. It always terrified him that one day he would not be strong enough to protect them all.

The Gods here lived like that everyday, watching the backs of their children vanish into the darkness of the Dungeon, knowing that there was nobody they could pray to for their safety. And yet, they put up with this pain, because obviously they had found some meaning in it.

No, he grudgingly admitted that these Gods were inherently different from the Gods of his world.

These Gods were worth believing in.

They were good Gods, and he did not want that to change, even if it meant dirtying his hands a little.

A gold blur crashed into the trunk of the giant tree. Godou instantly recognized Aiz Wallenstein.

Sighing, he jumped off the edge of the cliff.

Loki's Familia just _had_ to be here, didn't they?

 **XxxxxxX**

"Finn!"

His spear impaled the core of the Viola and it burst into dust.

He turned to Riveria and followed her alarmed gaze. His eyes narrowed when he saw Aiz sailing through the air, the red-haired tamer following close behind.

He cursed. The strange plant-woman hybrid of a monster was running straight towards what remained of Riveria, and the Pallum had only a moment to sort through his priorities. Seeing Tione and Tiona rush after the monster, he quickly rushed towards Aiz's falling form.

The tamer was already rushing towards where Aiz had landed, but what frightened him more was the energy signature that had just blasted itself within his senses. It was heading right towards Aiz, and Finn poured every ounce energy he had into his legs to intercept both the tamer and the newcomer.

He wasn't going to be fast enough.

The tamer launched a punch at Aiz's unmoving body, which was still stuck in the crater she'd made on impact. Finn threw his spear as a last ditch attempt, hoping it would buy just enough time for him to reach.

A single hand caught his spear, and not only that, another stopped the tamer's punch in its tracks. The sheer amount of force that had been packed into both attacks resulted in a small shockwave that arose from their sudden loss in momentums.

Finn stopped mid-stride, and Riveria landed right next to him.

"Kusanagi...Godou," he said softly. Truly, if there had been anyone he last expected to see here, it would be the stubborn chef from the Hostess of Fertility who had shot down every one of Loki's recruitment attempts.

"Yo, Finn," the boy said, tossing his spear back at him. "Thought you guys could use some help. I figured Loki would be upset if her precious princess were to die here."

The Captain of the Loki Familia deftly caught his own weapon, before cautiously inspecting it. Bete had mentioned Godou's tremendous speed. But speed wasn't enough to do what he'd just done. Immense strength accompanied his agility, but it was a welcome revelation given that the boy appeared to be their ally.

The tamer, getting over her shock, reacted immediately, twisting her body and sending her foot flying towards Godou.

The boy barely seemed to notice, but his now-free palm grabbed her ankle mid-kick and he threw into the air.

"So, who's she?" he asked.

"We don't know," Finn admitted. "But we believe that she's the monster tamer that launched the invasion."

He saw Godou frown and turn towards the red-haired girl, who had backed up and was now watching him with a guarded look.

"You," she snarled. "I never thought I'd see you again."

Finn looked at him, realizing that Godou was just as confused as he was.

"I don't think we've met," the chef said.

"You don't remember?" the girl said. "I was there when you were summoned."

Godou's eyes narrowed. "So you're the one that brought me here?"

She scoffed. "Like I would do something so foolhardy. But I have said enough. Letting you live was a mistake. I will correct it. Your death takes priority over Aria's retrieval." She unslung the sword on her back.

Finn glanced at Aiz, who was still unconscious and bleeding heavily. Riveria was already on the way to healing her.

"She is strong," he warned Godou. "For her to beat Aiz so easily. She is at least Level Five, maybe even Six."

The black-haired boy seemed completely unperturbed. "They're just numbers to me. What I really need to know is the information she has."

Finn readied his spear. "As do I. I will help you."

"Prepare yourself," the tamer said. " _Campione_."

And then Godou exploded in a bright flash of light.

 **XxxxxxX**

 _"Campione."_

She knew.

Whoever this girl was, she knew.

She had the answers he'd almost given up on finding. More than that, she had information he wanted no other person to have. At that very moment, Godou decided to pull out all the stops, consequences be damned. He'd committed to the fight. Now he was going to end it.

Power that had been untouched for nearly a month bubbled, then boiled at his beckoning. Senses that had dulled, heightened at the command from his sharpened mind. A connection that had since been severed, was forced back into existence by his unconquerable will.

Divine power flooded out his every pore, bathing him in golden light as he felt the true power of a Campione course through his veins.

The girl had drawn her sword. She looked confident with it. She had defeated the Sword Princess with it, after all, and she must have somehow thought that it would be her trump card.

Godou grinned.

How wrong she was. She should've fought him barehanded. Because now the only thing she'd be giving him was an excuse to draw a sword of his own.

He called upon the Authority. No, it was more than that. He was a friend. An ally. A partner.

The light that enshrouded him seemed to have grown a will of its own. It swirled, coalescing into his palm, and the corporeal light solidified itself there to form the gleaming edge of a blade. The energy was sucked in by the metal, and then spat out at its base to form a golden hilt and guard, leaving behind a sword as black as midnight in Godou's hand.

 **"Ah. The taste of battle. It has been a while."**

Godou saw everybody flinch. Even Aiz suddenly sat up straight, her eyelids snapping wide open as her gaze was glued to the thrumming blade he held.

 **"Why do you all look so surprised? Have none of you seen a talking sword?"**

The sword shook in his hands, and Godou allowed it to do as it wished. It raised itself and with it, Godou's arm, to point its sharp tip at the red-haired's girls throat.

 **"I can assure you that I cut as well as I can talk."**

The first traces of nervousness and apprehension flashed across his opponent's face. "What...are you?" she asked.

 **"You wish for me to reveal my identity, and yet you keep so many secrets from my partner, including your name. That is not a fair trade, no?"**

The girl gulped. She charged, swinging her sword at Godou's neck, who did nothing but stick out his hand with the sword. A straightforward attack like this could be easily countered.

 **"Foolish."**

But at the last moment, the girl ducked, her first attack nothing more than a feint, as she tried to stab Godou in the gut. It had been the right choice, for Godou's own blade swung millimeters above her head just after her maneuver. The panic in her eyes told him that she knew that if she'd acted even a moment later, she would have been dead.

 **"Better."**

Still, the tip of her sword was an inch away from his stomach. He slammed his sword down. Divine steel cut through her sword like it was butter, and then it shattered in her palms, splintering into dust.

She blinked at her now-empty hands, immediately leaping back before Godou could stab her. Her eyes narrowed down at his sword, then she glared at him. "This isn't over," she said, leaping backwards.

An even greater influx of power surged through his body. His body felt as light as air. No, it was more accurate to to say that his body had _become_ air. He'd activated the Raptor, and the two active Authorities had fused, turning his body into a living sword made of the wind.

 **"I agree."**

In the time for it took for her to take a single step in her escape, Godou was already in front of her, and a blade made of air slashed out to cut her.

 _'She has got good reflexes'_ , his partner thought to him, as she leaned backwards to avoid the attack.

But they weren't good enough, because he deactivated the Raptor to land solid kick on her stomach, sending her reeling backwards as blood and spit trickled out of her lips.

She tried to get up, but her legs gave way as she clutched her gut in pain. Godou walked towards her, dragging the sword behind him.

 **"Perhaps now we can conclude this battle."**

He could see the panic in her eyes. He'd seen it countless times, when Heretic Gods who thought themselves to be infallible and invincible fell to his blade. He enjoyed teaching them just how little the word 'immortal' meant to him. He relished in her fear, and he would enjoy the fountain of blood that would spew out when he-

He stopped himself.

He let out a deep sigh.

" _You're making me think all these nasty thoughts, aren't you?_ "

The sword in his hand seemed to shirk back slightly. " _Ah. So you've noticed._ "

 _"Stop it_. _She's just a girl._ "

 _"But I am having so much fun. Look! She's trembling!_ "

She was, and Godou took no pleasure in looking at it. The inherent thirst for battle every Campione had was unquenchable, and each moment in combat only intensified the desire some more. This was why it seemed like every Campione was a battle-maniac, and sometimes even Godou found himself lost in the euphoria of a good fight.

But could this even be considered a fight?. The weapon in his hand had been used to slay Gods, and using it for a rogue tamer was like bringing a hydrogen bomb to a water balloon fight.

Still, the girl had been more than willing to kill him, so Godou couldn't completely let down his guard. The point of his blade hovered dangerously near her throat.

She gulped.

The sound of cracking glass suddenly interrupted them, followed by the shaking of the earth and a malevolent roar that seemed as though the Dungeon itself was howling in hatred.

The ever-darkening shadow beneath his feet made Godou look up.

" _That's a big guy._ " Even the god-slaying sword seemed dumbfounded at the sight of the black giant descending from a crack in the ceiling aimed right above them.

"Run!" he looked down, wanting to help the fallen girl up, but blinked in surprise when he realized she was already gone. She'd taken the opportunity to escape, and Godou cursed that he'd wasted precious seconds that could've been used for running for his life.

This...this was definitely his fault, he was sure of it.

 **XxxxxxX**

 **Wheee, badass MC time?**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: To all the people who don't like Godou as a MC... you really shouldn't read this fic then, because I really like Godou as a main character and I'm not changing his trademark wishywashyness no matter what y'all say. This fic doesn't exist to show off Godou's power. Ironically, here's a chapter showing off Godou's power :D**

 **Chapter 5:** **The Black Goliath**

Big didn't really describe the white-haired giant that fell from the ceiling well enough. Godou had fought monsters, Divine Beasts, and even Demons before, and the entity before him could have given them a run for their money size-wise.

It was tall enough to match the ancient Mesopotamian God-King Melqart, who Godou had last seen wading through the _sea_ like he was an adult in a kiddie pool.

It towered over the tallest trees, barring the giant one in the center of course, but there probably wasn't a single place on the whole Floor where nobody could miss its looming form protruding out of the canopy.

And to make things better, Godou was about ninety-nine percent sure it had spawned because of him.

"Finn," he whispered to the adventurer next to him. "It's looking right at me, isn't it?"

"Yes," the Pallum replied, slowly taking a few steps away. The monster's glowing red eyes was still focused on him.

"You seem quite calm about this," Godou said. "Are giant falling monsters a normal routine on this floor?"

"No." Finn shook his head. "I'm just as surprised as you are. I've never actually seen a black version of a monster before, much less one of a Floor Boss."

"Floor Boss?" Godou looked at the hulking giant of a monster. "You mean this is a Goliath?"

"It's a black version of one. It's bigger. And probably stronger, too. I don't think the people of Rivira will be able to defeat it under normal circumstances."

"That's comforting to know."

 _'So, what's the game plan?'_ His partner nudged him mentally. _'We going to take it down in one hit or what?'_

"I don't think it's as strong as a Udaeus, the Monster Rex on the Thirty-Seventh Floor, so my Familia should be able to handle it just fine," Finn said, lifting his spear up and preparing to throw it.

For a moment, Godou was tempted to let him do just that. But...the Black Goliath was his mess, and he wasn't going to let other people clean up after him.

"Don't worry, Finn. He's after me. I'll kill it."

The Pallum blinked. Slowly, he put down his spear. "It's an unspoken rule that adventurers do not go for another person's target. That means that unless you specifically ask for our help, my Familia will not assist you, do you understand?"

Godou looked around, where the rest of the Loki Familia had gathered near Finn. There was Riveria, carrying an injured Aiz, as well as another Elf wielding a staff and looking at him worriedly. The Amazoness sisters were missing, still wiping out the remnants of the original invasion. He nodded. "I like to keep my fights to myself."

"Normally, Boss Raids are done in parties, regardless of Level. There are many things that can go wrong. This is an unwise course of action," Riveria said with a tone of disapproval.

Godou would have replied, but the roar of the Goliath marked the start of the fight. The sheer force behind the roar rocked the trees and the elf with the chestnut-colored hair covered her ears frightfully.

He stuffed his hands into his pockets and started walking towards the hulking beast. "Help me clear the area and make sure nobody else gets hurt."

Finn nodded before he leaped away, his Familia in tow.

The Goliath opened its mouth, then it roared again. The near-invisible shockwave emanating from its mouth warned him of the impending attack.

Godou's eyes widened as he felt the air pressure shift. This wasn't just a normal roar. The Raptor activated by itself, and he saw the bullet of compressed air speeding towards him in slow motion.

It would have been impossible for an ordinary human to dodge an attack that fast, but with godspeed, Godou dashed away from it.

When he judged himself to be a safe distance away, he deactivated the Authority.

The sonic attack hit the ground with the force of a small meteor, decimating the trees nearby and leaving behind a small crater.

He could feel the excitement building up within the obsidian blade he held.

 _'I have to admit, I was quite disappointed when I learned that the gods here can't fight. But after seeing this...I believe we should start coming to the Dungeon more.'_

Godou's lips twitched into a small grin. A small part of him, the one that was itching to launch an attack right away, agreed. But seeing the smoke billowing out of the town nearby, Godou immediately suppressed the urge. He had to get the Goliath away from the people first.

He needed something that could draw the attention of the Goliath, and he had just the thing.

 _'Godou. Are you sure that's a good idea? I mean...you do know we're in an enclosed space right?'_

It was going to be fine. There was nothing behind the Goliath but the lake. And unlike before, he could banish it now, preventing it from causing too much collateral damage.

"As the king commands, punish the sinners!"

He could feel the power beginning pool in the air above him and his knees began to buckle under the invisible weight.

"Shatter his back, pull out his bones, his hair, his brains!"

Dark wisps began began to swirl out from the ground, dancing an enchanting dance as they coagulated into a writhing form that seemed to double in size with every passing second.

"Punish him for breaking the contract!"

The tusks were the first things to be given corporeal form, giant ivory-white spikes that extended way past its body. Then its hooves. Then its fiery mane. Red beady eyes honed in on the only thing it could identify as its target. Ignited breaths were expelled out of its snout as its body, as big as the Goliath itself, grew a coat of flames, signifying the completion of its birth.

"Go, mighty Boar! Ravage the foe!"

The weight of the Boar was still pressing on him, and Godou could feel his feet sinking into the soil. Taking a deep breath, he let out a yell of exertion as he heaved the Divine Beast towards the Goliath. Century-old trees, taller than buildings, were flattened like blades of grass as the Boar rampaged through with a speed that seemed impossible for such a gargantuan swine.

The small hint of surprise on the Goliath's face was all the reaction it could make before the Boar slammed into it with enough force to sound like a bomb had gone off. The crunching noise of bones breaking and the sight of bloody tusks ripping straight through the Goliath's torso brought a smile to Godou's face. The Goliath let out a roar of pain as it was swept off its feet.

 _'Ouch.'_ Even the sword in his hands seemed to recoil.

Impaled on the galloping Boar's snout, the Black Goliath desperately to free itself. The ground trembled with the giant Boar's gait, and a trail of scorched earth was left in its wake. Hands the size of a small house tried to swat the Boar into submission, but they immediately shirked away upon touching the inferno-coated hide of the Divine Beast. The Boar screeched to a halt in front of the lake and swung its head hard.

The tusks tore through even more flesh as the Goliath was flung off and thrown into the lake. The resulting splash of water caused a short drizzle across the entire Floor, and the plume of water reached high enough to brush against the ceiling of the Floor. Slamming its hoof onto the ground and causing a small tremor, the Boar let out a triumphant squeal before dissolving back into the shadows, its target seemingly vanquished.

 _'Is that it?'_ The sword sounded almost let down. _'I mean...the Boar is basically a monster among monsters but...one hit?'_

Grimacing, Godou leaped across tree branches to reach the lake. A trail of bubbles was still rising to the surface and the Goliath's blood had dyed the entire water body a tinge of red.

The Boar could trample a whole city if it wanted to. A Floor Boss, especially the weakest one, was still one lone monster, and there was no way it could have-

The water surface suddenly exploded as the Goliath leaped into the air, its body completely unharmed.

Godou felt his jaw drop. Self-regeneration?

 _'That's more like it!'_ the sword cackled with glee. _'Round two, begin!'_

Godou only had a single second to react before his vision was completely obscured by a massive fist.

This time, Godou didn't feel like dodging.

Flooding his body with divine power, he struck out with his own fist.

"O' mighty bull that possesseth the horns of shining gold, grant me your aid!"

His fist collided into the Goliath's, which was at least a hundred times bigger than his own. Yet he did not budge. A sharp jolt of pain still shot through his arm, but it remained in place, the super-strength that came with the Authority of the Bull holding the Goliath's punch at bay. The energy packed in the Goliath's punch had to be dispersed in another direction, and a shock-wave blasted the leaves off the nearby trees. The Goliath opened its mouth, and Godou saw magic building up for another sonic bullet.

Godou merely lifted his sword and pointed it at the Goliath unflinchingly.

 _'Finally, is it my turn to shine?'_

"Oh mighty sword of the storm god Susanoo, hear my call!"

 _'Hearing you loud and clear, Godou.'_

The dark blade seemed to pulse with energy, glowing bright as it radiated divine power.

"Part the seas with your mighty swing, scatter the clouds with your unstoppable thrust!"

 _'Oh, now you're just trying to make me blush.'_

It began to hum, and Godou could feel the wind around him picking up.

"Summoner of storms, I command thee!"

 _'Can you just hurry up and get on with it? Let's blow shit up!'_

A miniature typhoon had formed around Godou, an impenetrable wall of wind that surrounded him. Clumps of dirt were torn out of the ground while trees were uprooted and tossed into the air. The Goliath pulled its hand out in pain when a few pieces of debris pierced right through, the wind carrying enough force to turn even a tree trunk into a giant deadly spear.

"Strike down all who stand in my way, Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi!"

Godou swung down just as the Goliath roared, shooting off its sonic bullet.

The attack never even got to leave its mouth. With the sword's swing, the whole typhoon lurched forward, a hurricane of gale blades capable of slicing through steel ravaging the Goliath's body. The giant had its body picked up by the winds, and it flailed and writhed agonizingly as it was assaulted by the sword's relentless attack. Blood leaked and poured out of the uncountable number of wounds on its body. Sucked out of its body by the vortex, it began to rain blood, and Godou wiped away a few stray drops that had landed on his face.

 _'This is what I'm talking about, yeah!'_

With a meaty slap, a mangled arm flew out of the storm and landed on the ground, the bone sliced clean through using nothing but air. Godou turned away when he saw a few of the fingers still twitching.

A leg was severed next, dropping into the lake with a splash. The sound of the Goliath's screams were drowned out by the raging winds, and it was only when the next limb fell that the typhoon began to die down. Still suspended in the air, the Goliath had only a lone arm left, and even then, almost all its flesh had been stripped away, leaving behind a morbid mess of bone and the scrappy pieces of meat holding the arm together.

Godou called off the attack, and the monster's mutilated body dropped like a stone. Even when he walked towards it, Godou could see it begin to glow red with arcane energy. Skin began to regrow, flesh began to re-knit.

Godou jumped onto its bloody chest. The Goliath moaned, its remaining arm spasming uselessly as it tried to swat him away.

In a gaping hole that was slowly being patched up, a gleaming crystal sat where the heart would have been in a human.

 _'That's a weak spot if I've ever seen one.'_

Godou agreed. Destroying the magic crystal had to be the key to getting past the monster's regeneration.

He cast one last long look at the Goliath's bloody mess of a face, and saw that its nose was hanging loosely, connected only by a stray strand of skin. Eyes full of hatred bore down on him, not a single shred of humanity within. Then, Godou slammed Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi down.

The sound of breaking glass was followed by the disintegration of the giant monster, and Godou fell back to the ground surrounded by a pile of dust and powder.

Amid all the glitter still drizzling down around him, a lone figure burst through the undergrowth.

Her clothes were ripped, and splotches of blood stained a bit of her clothes, but Shakti Varma looked to be otherwise unharmed. Despite that, her face was locked in a look of panic and she was panting from exhaustion. She must have ran here all the way from the village.

When she caught sight of him, she stopped. Her eyes darted towards the sword he held in one hand, then the the giant magic crystal that was lodged in the ground next to him. Slowly, her alarmed expression melted away to reveal disbelief and relief.

Godou gulped.

Already, the adrenaline was wearing off and his hyper-focused mind was starting to relax, allowing him realize the many consequences of his actions. He did a mental count. He'd summoned a Divine Weapon. He'd performed a Fusion Authority. He'd called into existence a Divine Beast. And he'd also conjured a Category Five hurricane.

This was not good at all.

He always hated dealing with the aftermath.

 **XxxxxxX**

The first real thought that Shakti had when she saw the Black Goliath drop to the ground from the ceiling after she was done cursing was, _'the Loki Familia can take care of that.'_

Then she remembered that the general area where the Floor Boss was standing in was roughly where she'd dumped Godou and basically told him to stay out of trouble. Well, now that an irregular Floor Boss had literally been dropped on him, she couldn't just leave him there.

Most of the strange plant-like monsters had been vanquished with the assistance of Tione and Tiona, the infamous Amazoness duo from the Loki Familia. Excusing herself from the battle, she immediately rushed towards where she'd last seen the chef.

She'd encountered a Black Monster before only once in her life, back when she was still a Level Four. Ganesha had been foolish, ignoring the pleas of everyone in the Familia, and demanded to enter the Dungeon to supervise the capturing process of monsters. The subsequent Black Infant Dragon that had been summoned had left a few adventurers critically injured. Since then, the god had respectfully obeyed every rule that ensured the safety of his Familia.

But this was totally different. This was a Floor Boss. An ordinary Goliath was around Level Four, so she estimated that a black one to be Level Five, which made it challenging for even _her_ to solo. It really was a blessing that the Loki Familia was here, though she could not trust them to have realized Godou's presence in the woods.

Her legs burned as she sprinted towards the monster.

"Shakti?"

She recognized Finn, the Pallum Captain of the Loki Familia. There were other members of his Familia as well, though it seemed the Sword Princess was injured and being piggy-backed by Riveria. More importantly, it struck her that they were running _away_ from the Black Goliath.

"Finn!" She stopped. "Did you see a teenage boy? Spiky hair? Not wearing any armor?"

"You mean Godou?" he asked.

"Yes!" she immediately replied, slightly surprised Finn knew his name. "Is he safe?"

Finn exchanged a look with the rest of his Familia. "He's uh..." He smiled weakly. "He's fighting the Goliath by himself."

Shakti blinked. A mixture of emotions suddenly erupted within her. Her heart was gripped with fear. The mere thought of Godou, a non-adventurer, facing a Floor Boss by himself, turned her stomach into ice. Fear quickly melted into anger as she clenched her fists and grabbed the tiny Pallum by his shirt. He may have been one Level above her, but that only meant he had even less of an excuse to abandon Godou to the Goliath. "And _you let him_?"

The veteran adventurer's gaze hardened. Calmly, he wrapped his fingers around her wrist. "He volunteered. He said it was his fight, and asked us to keep others from getting involved. You know the rules; he claimed the Goliath as his. Now please, let go of me."

When she didn't, he started to squeeze. Pressure suddenly turned into pain and she released Finn. Her glare didn't drop, however. "You're a heartless fool, Finn. He's not even a Level One!"

The Pallum frowned. "I don't think numbers matter to him. Besides, I believe he is more than capable to subdue the Goliath."

Riveria stepped up, Aiz Wallenstein still on her back. "Do not worry, Shakti. The boy is strong. I only needed one look at his sword to know."

Confusion and doubt began to corrode her fury. She had seen no sword on their way here. But then again, Godou had mentioned something about a weapon, hadn't he?

Her cheek pressed against Riveria's shoulder, Aiz nodded. "Magical sword. Powerful boy."

Those were not words Shakti had expected to hear used to describe Godou. She'd seen him tame the Battle Boar, but he'd used nothing but the human mind and superb reflexes. He was not a trained warrior. She grit her teeth. Why was she wasting time here, talking to the retreating Loki Familia, when Godou was fighting a Floor Boss on his own? She needed to reach him as soon as she could.

"I know that look in your eyes, Shakti. I won't stop you from helping him. You're strong enough to not hold him back. But I think you should put your faith in him. If not him, then trust Loki." Finn smiled slightly. "My goddess would never try to recruit someone who she thought was weak."

She was surprised at the last statement. Loki was trying to recruit him as well?

As if to prove Finn's point, an ear-piercing squeal reverberated throughout the Floor, and Shakti looked up in time to see a giant Boar that was _on fire_ ram into the Goliath, goring it with its massive tusks.

For a moment, every adventurer had their eyes glued to the spectacle, a myriad of questions flooding their minds.

"What...is that monster?" Shakti breathed out, her fear audible in her voice. She glanced to the right, where Finn shook his head.

It was humongous, nothing like she'd seen before. A monster of its size...could it be a Monster Rex? If it was, the fact that she didn't recognize it was almost harrowing in itself. She'd fought the Udaeus before, and the mere possibility that this boar was stronger than the skeletal warrior sent chills down her spine.

Riveria gulped. "I don't know."

Aiz instinctively reached for her sword, even though she was still being carried.

And the last Elf, who Shakti did not recognize, took several steps back, clutching her staff timidly. "Do...do monsters normally fight each other?"

"No, they don't," Riveria said, her eyes calmly analyzing the unfolding scene. "But that Boar...I do not think it is a monster of the Dungeon. It is a construct of magic. Almost like a spell."

Shakti turned her head sharply. "I didn't know magic could do that."

Riveria's eyes narrowed. "Neither did I."

Shakti gripped her sword. The only question now was who the caster was. It couldn't possibly be Godou, could it?

Finn hefted his spear, letting it rest on his shoulders as his lips dropped to form a ponderous frown. "I want to see Godou fight." His eyes then flicked to the newly summoned monster. "But I would rather not go near that."

Shakti felt like she was caught between a rock and a hard place. The Boar was definitely above Level Five, if the ease it had in manhandling the Goliath was any indication. But there was also no guarantee that Godou was safe.

"We have to help Godou," she stated again. "He's not trained for this."

"Perhaps not," Finn agreed. "But anybody that can take down Bete should have no problem surviving that."

It took a moment for Shakti to comprehend his words. "Bete? You mean Bete Loga?"

Finn nodded. She felt her eyes grow wide.

"The Werewolf close-quarters specialist? The Level Five?"

This time the whole Familia nodded, and Aiz quickly added, "one hit."

She took a few steps back. "I...I thought he was just an ordinary boy, a chef at the Hostess."

Riveria smirked. "He does seem to give off that impression. But I believe it is by choice, rather than design. He is an enigma our goddess has devoted quite a fair amount of time in trying to solve."

The sharp scream that pierced the air as the Boar chucked the Goliath into the air cut the conversation short. Judging by the loud splash, it'd landed in the lake and the entire group remained quiet even during the subsequent drizzle.

They were too captivated with watching the Boar melt into the ground, obediently allowing the shadowy tendrils that erupted from the ground to drag it back to whatever hell it had come from.

"Magic," Riveria confirmed.

"That's not magic," Shakti said, the sheer absurdity of the sight causing her to lose her composure. "That's bullshit! So what's this mean, you can turn a Monster-Rex-caliber Boar into a _pet_? I'm the Captain of the Ganesha Familia. We're the only ones that actually _tame_ monsters, and that's just unthinkable!" It was ridiculous. Monsters were pre-programmed to hate humans on sight. Her Familia's taming process was basically just beating and exhausting the monster into submission. The mere notion that that could be done to a monster as big as that Boar was beyond comprehension.

"I'm merely stating my observations," Riveria said, nonplussed. "I find it just as unbelievable as you."

Aiz nodded solemnly. "Bullshit."

She frowned as she tried to come up with some other kind of reason that could explain the phenomenon, but her attention was suddenly drawn to Finn, who was staring at his twitching finger as though it had done some great wrong against him. "It's not over yet."

She tensed, swiveling her head back to look at the lake. "It's severely weakened. Even a Level Two or Three should be able to kill it now."

Finn's only response was to continue looking at his thumb.

Shakti found herself intrigued. There were rumors that the Captain of the Loki Familia had some kind of sixth sense, and she wondered if she was seeing it in action now.

"It's coming." Finn's words were soft, an ominous undercurrent flowing beneath his voice. On cue, the sound of a crashing wave broke the tense silence that had descended upon Rivira, followed by a roar of pure hatred as the Black Goliath burst into view again, its body seemingly intact and its face contorted in twisted fury.

"It's regenerated," Shakti said in disbelief. She'd never heard of a monster that could regenerate so much in such a short amount of time. Was it simply because it was an irregular?

Its arm was raised, its fingers curled, and the impending meteor that was the monster's fist crashed into the ground.

The sound was deafening, and even though they were hundreds of meters away, Shakti felt the shockwave from the impact tickle her hair and her skin. The ground vibrated beneath her and worry built up in her chest as she instinctively wondered just who was at the receiving end of the attack.

She saw Finn's lips dip into a grimace. Instantly she knew not even the Level Six could have taken the blow and emerge unscathed.

Godou didn't stand a chance.

She was running before she knew it. Bushes, branches, even whole trees were reduced to mere splinters before her blade as she sprinted towards the direction of the Goliath.

A small part of her mind told her it was pointless. If Godou had been hit, he was already dead.

She shoved that annoying segment of her brain away. Now was not the time. There was still a small sliver of hope that the boy was alive.

Something was wrong, she realized, when the howling noise finally registered in her mind. Briefly, she slowed down, finally experiencing the sound of rustling leaves and the strong winds lapping across her face. This...this was impossible. They were indoors, and the Dungeon didn't have an internal weather system, at least not on this floor, so how could there be a storm?

Her fingers squeezed the hilt of her sword even tighter. Another new ability of the Black Goliath?

Pumping more energy into her legs, she raced towards the monster with renewed vitality.

She could hear its roars, muffled by the wind, getting louder with every second. It sounded...pained?

She had no clue what was going on today. First, there was Hashana's death. Then there was the invasion of the new species, which according to hearsay, was done by a tamer. And finally, the spawning of the Black Goliath. Something was wrong with the Dungeon, and Shakti had to wonder if there was a specific reason Godou had decided to enter today.

Maybe...maybe everything was his fault.

She quickly banished the thought. Godou hadn't done anything. The things the Loki Familia told her were certainly worth investigating, but until she heard it from his own mouth, she couldn't just take their word for it.

As she continued charging through, she had to raise her hands to protect her face from the whipping winds. What was this? It reminded her of high-tier magic, as if somebody had been conjured a miniature tornado. Was it the same person who had summoned the Boar?

"Godou!" she screamed, realizing that she'd just passed by the area where she'd last seen him. "Godou! Where are you?"

She was calling out to him at the top of her voice, but she knew that the raging gales meant that it didn't reach very far. When she heard nothing in return, she pressed on, bracing herself as the winds threatened to blow her off her feet.

She could feel the wind dying down. She pushed forward. Even if Godou wasn't there, more than a few of the answers to her questions lay at the eye of the storm.

Light began to filter through the gaps in the canopy as she approached a clearing, and she could see movement beyond the thick foliage of leaves. With another surge of energy, she dashed towards it.

The light blinded her for a moment when she broke through the dense flora.

She blinked rapidly, trying to get rid of the strange shimmering she was seeing in the air.

Then she blinked again when she saw Godou standing right in front of her, his face caught in between surprise and nervousness. His clothes were still flapping a bit in the weak breeze, his normally-spiky hair damp and flattened. Relief threatened to burst out of her body.

She looked down at the black sword in his hand. She knew a magic weapon when she saw one, and this one radiated power, almost seeming to glow and hum with energy. Then she realized that the Black Goliath was no where in sight.

The giant magic crystal embedded into the ground caused her jaw to drop. She brought a hand up, trying to gather shiny powder-like material that was raining down.

Monster remains, she was certain of it.

She refused to believe it. All the pieces of the puzzle were right in front of her, but she refused to put them together. There was no way Godou had gone and _killed_ the Black Goliath. The idea was ludicrous. Godou was a chef at the Hostess of Fertility, a boy who'd managed to tame a Battle Boar through his talent and no small amount of luck.

The fact that he might have been a Level Five, or even Level Six, adventurer was beyond any kind of rational thought.

"Are...are you hurt?" The words stumbled out of her mouth awkwardly. It was a stupid question. It was obvious that he was completely unhurt.

"I'm...uh...a little bit wet, I guess. And I got some of monster blood on me," he said almost guiltily, pointing at the red flecks on his shirt. "But I suppose it was unavoidable."

Reality dropped on her like a sack of bricks.

"You killed the Black Goliath?" she asked, her voice dropping to a low whisper.

Godou nodded.

"With what?" It was strange. Godou was alive. Against all odds, he'd faced the Black Goliath and won. Without a scratch. She'd been so worried the whole time, and now that she knew he was safe and sound, relief should have been the only thing she was feeling.

"With uh..." He pointed at the sword in his hand. "With this."

So why was there so much anger building up?

"A _sword_?" she asked, raising her voice. " _Only_ a sword? What about the giant boar? And all that wind?"

Sheepishly, the boy scratched the back of his head. "Ah. You saw that, didn't you?"

"The whole Rivira saw it!"

The boy frowned. "Everyone?"

She folded her arms in front of her chest. "Do you know how worried I was for you? All this time, I thought you were just a normal human being! I felt so guilty and terrified that I brought you here! I really thought you were a goner the moment the Black Goliath appeared!"

"Well, it's dead now, so everything's okay." He gave the magic crystal a solid kick. "Though I'm not quite sure what to do with this."

Her eye twitched. There were so many reasons why she wanted to keep yelling at him.

"Sell it." A new voice appeared, and Finn landed next to her. "It's worth a few hundred thousand Valis. The magic crystal of a Floor Boss, a Black one no less. Definitely at least that much."

Riveria and the others arrived just as the Pallum finished speaking, eyeing the giant crystal with a mixture of awe and jealousy.

She turned back to Godou, who seemed to have developed a newfound interest in the magic crystal, appraising it with a strange glint in his eye.

"I think the real question here is to ask why the Black Goliath spawned in the first place." Riveria took a few steps forward, her gaze turning suspicious as she stopped in front of Godou. "If I recall correctly, Black monsters don't spawn unless certain...conditions have been met."

"Campione."

Godou visibly flinched when Finn muttered that single world, and though Shakti did not know what it mean, the cook clearly did.

Rubbing his chin, the Pallum continued to speak. "I've never heard of the term before, but that is what the tamer called you."

"None of you know what it means?" Godou asked, slightly hesitant.

Shakti shook her head, mirroring the actions of everyone else around her.

His relief was both visible and audible.

"You're not going to tell us?" Shakti asked, getting curious.

"It is a title." He smiled weakly. "One that has only given me trouble, and nothing else."

 **XxxxxxX**

"Did you get the answers you were looking for?" Mama Mia asked him as she slid a drink across the bar table into his hands.

For once, he was a customer at the Hostess. Following Finn's advice, he'd sold the magic crystal from the Black Goliath for a rather large sum of Valis. Using the money, he'd managed to buy a small one-room flat nearby. It was shabby and in poor shape, but still habitable. After that, he'd still been left with a sizable remainder, and he hadn't known what to do with it.

So he'd shared it with the rest of the Hostess, earning him another day off and free drinks. Not that the latter would be of any use, given the fact that his Campione sturdiness meant alcohol had no real effect on his body. He took a sip of the bitter-tasting drink to be polite, trying not to show that the burning feeling in his throat was irking him.

"Some of them," he replied. It had been jarring to hear that word. Campione. The girl had looked him in the eye and said it. That alone told him that she did not truly understand what the word entailed. Unless she was very brave, and could stare a Godkiller in the eye and still have the will to fight him. He did not think that was the case.

"But not all?"

He shook his head. If anything, it had only left him with more questions. If she'd known what he was, then clearly she had had some part to play in his sudden arrival in Orario, though he doubted she could've orchestrated the whole thing. It disturbed him that he'd been dragged into some strange, unknown third-party's schemes yet again.

"So you'll be going back in again some time soon, I suppose," Mama Mia said, the beginnings of a frown starting to appear on her face.

"Sorry," he said. "But I have to." Given a choice, he'd rather not skimp on his work, but he couldn't leave this matter alone. "Have you ever been to the Fifty-ninth Floor, Mama Mia?" According to the Loki Familia, Aiz had some strange connection to the tamer, and she'd been told to meet her on that particular Floor to answer questions of her own.

"No, I haven't." Mama Mia said, her voice becoming a tad more serious. "But past the Fiftieth Floor and the Dungeon becomes a very dangerous place. Even the most seasoned adventurers will be overwhelmed if they let down their guard. Though..." she nudged her head to where the Loki Familia, including their goddess, were sitting at, their eyes blatantly glued to him. "From the rumors I've been hearing all day, you shouldn't have a problem there."

Godou didn't know whether to groan or be thankful. On one hand, Finn, Shakti, and the rest had agreed to keep whatever they'd seen a secret but the rest of the Floor had still seen enough to know that there was someone in Orario who had some _really_ unorthodox and powerful abilities. On the other hand, if Finn knew, there wasn't a shred of doubt in his mind that Loki knew, and the goddess was now ogling him like he was a chunk of meat.

"Rumors," he said. "That's all they are."

"Sure," Mama Mia said, then she laughed and walked away.

Unfortunately, her exit must have given Loki her cue to make an entrance, because the red-haired goddess slid into the seat next to him and batted her eyelashes at him shamelessly.

"No," he said immediately.

"No, what?" she asked, her voice sounding too innocent as she feigned confusion.

"I'm not joining your Familia."

"I'm not here for that," the girl, adopting a triumphant look when Godou couldn't keep his surprise in.

He narrowed his eyes for a second.

Loki beamed at him. "I want to thank you! Surely, you wouldn't say no to that?"

He blinked. "What for?" he asked, starting to almost feel suspicious.

"For protecting Aiz! Finn said you protected her from the tamer. Aiz is my favorite, and if I lost her, I would be really upset."

The goddess was all smiles for now, but Godou could see the flicker of insecurity in her eyes. She meant every word, even if she pretended to put up a jovial front. Honestly, that little part of the day was something he'd almost forgotten.

"It was nothing." Godou shrugged. "I was just passing by and I saw her in trouble, that's all."

"Passing by?" Loki raised an eyebrow. "You don't just ' _pass by_ ' the Eighteenth Floor of the Dungeon. What were you doing there in the first place?"

Godou gave her a look. "Are you here to thank me or interrogate me?"

She smiled. "Why can't I do both? I've still got a lot more questions."

Godou frowned. He wished he could get drunk.

"Godou." Loki's voice turned soft. "Have you ever heard of a God called Verethragna?"

It was a good thing that Godou prepared himself beforehand, or might have spat beer all over Loki's face. Acting natural, he casually said, "can't say I have. Why? Is he causing trouble in Orario?"

"No," Loki said, and Godou internally heaved a sigh of relief when she found nothing amiss. "He's a God of Victory. The last I checked, he was still in Heaven."

"Oh. Then what's he got anything to do with all this?"

"He's got a pet Boar. He can use his Arcana to summon it and it will flatten everything in its path."

Godou gulped. He hadn't expected this. The gods here were so different from those in his old world that he never expected that their Authorities and their Arcana to overlap.

He immediately straightened when he saw her coy look. "I'm not Verethragna," he declared flatly. The last thing he wanted was to be associated with that haughty battlemaniac.

Loki burst into laughter. "You should've seen your face! Come on Godou, did you honestly think I mistook you for a God?"

Now Godou felt a little bit stupid.

"But I am curious though, to know where you gained such an ability. The similarity it bears with a God's Arcana is quite disturbing. Is it a magic spell?"

"I'd rather not say," Godou said frankly.

"You know that trying to keep it a secret is only going to make me want to dig more, right?" Loki said mischievously.

"Dig all you want. You won't find anything," Godou said confidently. The answer was not in this world, after all.

"I suppose the same goes for the rest of your powers? The mini-hurricane? The talking sword?"

Godou kept quiet, fully aware that Loki was just trying to bait out more information from him.

"You're no fun," Loki said, pouting. She took a swig from the mug in her hand, throwing a glance at his half-filled one. "Hurry up and finish that. I want to buy you a drink as a thank you for helping Aiz."

Taking a small sip, Godou shook his head. "You don't have to, really. Besides, I can't get drunk, so there's no point."

"Can't get drunk?" Loki said skeptically. "I hear that a lot, but..." she trailed off, looking at a bunch of obviously inebriated adventurers chortling at a nearby table.

"I really can't," Godou insisted. It was true. Even poisons didn't really work very well on his body.

"Does it have something to do with you being a...what did Finn call it...Campione?"

Loki had thrown out the word casually, but Godou had had half a mind to clamp over her mouth with his hands the moment she uttered the word.

"Please don't call me that," Godou said quite seriously. It felt disturbing when a God said it.

"Sorry," Loki said sheepishly. "Finn asked me if I knew what it meant, but I've never heard of the term in my life which, mind you, is almost as old as time itself."

Godou wasn't surprised. A mortal killing a God was something he'd assumed had never happened in this world, and he certainly didn't want to be the first person to try.

"I have to introduce you to the wine Souma makes one day," Loki said, more to herself than to him, signalling a chance to end the conversation.

Taking the opportunity to change the topic, Godou threw out a question that he'd been pondering about for a while. "Loki, what's Heaven like?"

Loki looked up and tilted her head. "What do you mean? For mortals or for Gods?"

He thought about it. "Gods."

Loki made a repulsed face. "Icky."

Godou blinked.

"Do you know in our natural states, Gods don't have bodies?" She made a scattering motion with her hands. "We're kind of like...all over the place, like a cloud of thought. In that sense, I guess it's because we're immortal. Our real bodies are actually just corporeal forms our consciousness conjures up to collect most of our essence into one place. But even then..." She shuddered. "I never realized how convenient it is to have a real body. I feel so..." She poked her a finger into her belly. " _Alive_."

Godou laughed. "So this body is all flesh and blood?"

She nodded. "Yeah. It's a mortal body, so it can't actually fit all our power inside, otherwise it would just spontaneously combust. Only our consciousness is stuck here. Our raw magical power is stuck somewhere else, I'm not sure where, but we can access it and draw on it, but then this body might get destroyed and I'd have to return to Heaven."

"Do Gods ever fight in Heaven?" he asked.

Loki rolled her eyes. "All the time. I like it here. It's peaceful and quiet. No God wants to raise trouble and get sent back to Heaven. And I say-" she suddenly stopped talking, narrowing her eyes until they became thin lines. "Hey! Aren't I supposed to be interrogating you?"

Godou grinned. "Well it's too late. You've lost your chance."

The goddess put her hands to her hips. "One more question."

"Fine."

The goddess clasped his hands using hers, and flashed him a most charming smile that only accentuated her pretty facial features. For a moment, Godou felt his breath hitch up in his throat. It figured that even the mortal bodies of gods would be divinely beautiful.

"Join my Familia?"

"No," Godou said, trying to resist a smile. Some things never changed.

Unfortunately, some already had.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Sorry this chapter took a while, I was caught up in some of my own personal projects. Updates should be a little more regular now.**

 **XxxxX**

 **Chapter 6: A Simple Chef**

Loki let out a loud yawn, making no attempt to hide it.

She couldn't help herself; this Denatus was extraordinarily boring. None of her adventurers had Leveled-Up and the Gods of Orario had long since forgotten about the series of mysterious events surrounding Kusanagi Godou. Instead, they were more interested in the recent spade of mishaps and phenomena that had been going on in the Dungeon.

Unfortunately, since her Familia was often wrapped up in those events, she pretty much already knew everything there was to know about them, causing her to internally groan at her decision to attend today.

"I am Ganesha!" the elephant-mask-wearing god announced loudly, getting to his feet. "And I would like to express my alarm at the current state of events."

A murmur of agreement spread throughout their ranks, and everyone waited for him to continue.

"I would like to personally put an end to all of this, but with the death of one of my higher-leveled children, my Familia is in no state to investigate the Deeper Floors of the Dungeon. I am making a plea towards the Gods with stronger Familia to assist us all with this matter, before more of our adventurers get hurt."

With that short speech, Loki suddenly found herself the subject of half of the room's stares, the other half directed at Freya, who was still sitting confidently with that arrogant yet beautiful smile on her face.

She felt herself squirming in her seat. If this was Heaven, the sheer amount of willpower and energy conveyed behind their gazes would have set off an explosion already.

"Why, I believe Loki has something to share with us all regarding this matter," Freya said slyly, causing Loki to almost gag in surprise.

 _HOW DID SHE KNOW?_ She mouthed to Hephaestus, who was sitting beside her. By now, _every one_ was looking at her.

The one-eyed goddess shrugged, not looking particularly bothered. "We might as well announce it to all of them now. It's not like they're going to do anything about it."

Loki didn't particularly mind that, but she was more upset at Freya who, with her smug grin, had once again managed to stick her nose where it didn't belong and uncover information she shouldn't have known.

Clearing her throat and standing up, Loki quickly regained her composure. "Hephaestus and I," she began, giving a pause for the other goddess to nod her head in acknowledgement, "will be launching another expedition to the Fifty-Ninth Floor about three weeks from now. We will try to discover anything amiss within the Dungeon, and will share with you any information we stumble upon."

With that cat out of the bag, Loki saw the rest of the gods look at each other worriedly. The Fifty-Ninth floor was basically uncharted territory. Nobody had gone so deep since the Zeus Familia, and Loki wouldn't have risked it in the first place with such a small party had Aiz not insisted on it.

 _"She needs answers, Loki,"_ Finn had said. _"And she's not the only one."_

Grudgingly, Loki admitted that Ganesha was right. The Dungeon had been behaving strangely lately, and the Deeper Floors were the first place where they should start looking for clues. The aforementioned god looked pleased at the news and, after giving a nod of thanks, took his seat again.

No other god offered their assistance in the endeavor. Loki hadn't expected anyone to, since casualties were almost guaranteed after all.

"Why thank you Loki," Freya said with an award-winning beam, "for taking one for the team." Loki could feel her blood starting to boil. "With that settled, let us begin with announcing the recent Level-Ups."

At the very least, Freya should have offered to help, but Loki would have refused anyway because she hated that fake smile on that fake woman's fake face.

Loki sat back down and let out a sigh.

"You handled that better than I thought," Hephaestus remarked.

"Trust me." Loki squeezed her fingers in front of her face. "I was _this_ close to snapping at Freya."

As Freya talked, Loki made it a personal mission to ignore as much as she said. She turned to Hephaestus, a burning question she'd been longing to ask already loaded and ready to be asked.

"Hephaestus. How do you make a talking sword?"

The goddess looked momentarily surprised. "You mean a sword with its own soul? Intelligent and free-thinking?"

Loki hesitated. She hadn't seen Godou's sword herself, having only heard about it second-hand from Finn. But she assumed that was the case. She nodded.

"Um..." Hephaestus, now completely detached from the Denatus, put her hand to her chin and looked deep in thought. "I can think of a few ways, I guess. None of them are simple."

"Go on," Loki said. "We've got time." Last she remembered, Hephaestus didn't have a Level-Up either.

"Well the fastest way would be to seal an existing soul into a weapon," Hephaestus said matter-of-factly, "but that's probably the most difficult and well...worst way to do it."

Loki could imagine so. Obtaining a soul unattached to a body was...challenging, both morally and physically speaking. Sealing it into an inorganic material would be even more difficult. And then getting it to cooperate with you would be downright miraculous.

"I suppose if we were in Heaven and I had access to my Arcana, and if Thanatos or another God of Death was willing to provide me a soul," Hephaestus mused, "I could probably make one for you."

Loki shook her head. "No, that won't work. I'm talking about a sword made without using our Arcana. One that an adventurer can use."

The blacksmith goddess blinked and frowned. "Well...that makes things a lot harder. There might be one way, but the chances of it happening are almost zero."

"But not zero," Loki pointed out.

"But close enough," Hephaestus said without missing a beat. "The sword would have to be a few centuries old, at the very least. It would have to go through an entire life cycle of its own. I made a knife recently that has the potential to achieve this, but that dagger is only a few days old. As far as I know, it's the only weapon of its kind so far."

"What do you mean?" Loki asked, slightly intrigued now.

"I can't say too much, but that dagger...it's basically alive. It will grow with its user. I can't say it has a soul, not yet, but as it continues to evolve, the magic within it will become more advanced as well. Developing a soul of its own is possible, but certainly not within an average person's lifespan. It would have to go through generations of adventurers before it achieves that stage. Hundreds of years, and even I can't guarantee if it can stay in one piece until that point. It's more likely to be lost or destroyed in battle than for it to survive that long." The shrug Hephaestus gave at the end of her mini-lecture was one of resignation.

"I see..." Loki said, trying to feign disappointment. "That's unfortunate." But inside, her interest in Godou's sword only increased tenfold.

"Why'd you ask?" Hephaestus leaned back on her chair. Then she suddenly sat up straight and her lone eye was opened as wide as it could. "Did you find one?" she asked excitedly.

Loki panicked momentarily, remembering how Finn had made her promise to tell no one, _absolutely not another soul_ , about Godou's abilities.

"Of course not," she said, trying to laugh it off. "I was just thinking about what kind of present to get Aiz on her next Level-Up," she lied expertly. She was a trickster goddess after all.

"Oh, she's Level Five now, isn't she?" Hephaestus sounded mildly curious. "Tsubaki's Level Five too. I don't think even Aiz can reach Level Six so soon."

"Of course!" Loki chirped excitedly, glad that they were changing topics. "Which is why my present to her has to be the absolute best!"

"Heh, is that so?" Hephaestus raised an eyebrow. "Then I wouldn't recommend a talking sword. In reality, they're not very practical to use, unless the soul is developed on its own, like with the magical dagger I was talking about."

"Really? Why not?"

Hephaestus pursed her lips. "Stuffing a soul into a weapon basically limits any other kind of magical inscription on it. So you'd end up with only a sword as strong as the soul trapped within it. You'd need a very powerful soul if you want to make it a gift Aiz can actually use."

"Oh." Loki hadn't thought about that. "Like what kind of soul?"

Hephaestus shrugged. "I dunno. But the soul of a God would definitely do the trick."

 **XxxxX**

Godou sneezed for the third time in one minute.

Someone, somewhere, must have been thinking about him very hard.

"You'd better be not be sneezing into our customer's food," Mama Mia warned all the way from the bar counter.

"Don't worry Mama Mia," he laughed meekly, trying to hide the fact that he was throwing away the entire batch of fries he was cooking.

"Are you sick?" May asked, sounding concerned. "You've been acting a little weird ever since you came back from the Dungeon."

"Ah, I'm fine," Godou said reassuringly. He didn't want his fellow cook to be fretting over him, not when he'd made her cook solo recently. "Just a little tired. The Dungeon does that to you, you know." In truth, he wasn't tired at all. Gone were the days when using three or four Authorities put a strain on his body. He'd have to activate his Avatar for that to happen now.

"Actually, I don't."

Godou was a little surprised to hear the mixture of embarrassment and disappointment in her voice.

"Huh?" was his eloquent response.

The Cat-Girl's eyes looked away, and Godou admittedly found her sudden shyness a little cute. "Unlike most of the rest, I wasn't an adventurer. I've never been into the Dungeon. I've been the chef in the Hostess for my whole adult life. The only weapon I've held is a kitchen knife." The smile she gave him at the end looked forced, which didn't look right at all since she was holding said weapon.

"Ah." Godou took a step back. Had he hurt her feelings? "It must be hard on you. Working in a pub for adventurers, and all your colleagues being ex-adventurers themselves. Sorry if I've made you feel that you've missed out."

"Eh?" May's blush turned even redder. "It's not like that at all! If anything I'm glad that I'm not an adventurer! All I hear are scary stories of monsters, I'm glad I'm just a simple chef!" She was waving her hands frantically in denial, but stopped when she heard Godou laugh.

"A simple chef, huh?" he said to himself. "I wish I could be a simple chef."

"Do you really?" May asked, disbelief quite clear in her voice. "You seem to like having adventures in your life though."

"I don't!" Godou immediately denied. Where had she gotten such an idea? "I just want to be an ordinary guy that lives an ordinary life!"

"Liar," May said, snubbing her nose in the other direction. "I heard that you beat up Bete from Loki's Familia. And Syr couldn't stop talking about how you tamed that Battle Boar in the Monster Feria. And when you came back from the Dungeon, you looked completely refreshed, as if you'd came back from a holiday instead."

Godou was stunned when she jabbed a finger into his chest. "You're a reckless adventurer through and through, Kusanagi Godou."

"I...I" Godou had no words. He'd heard arguments exactly like this countless times. Every time he'd tried to convince someone that he wanted to be normal, his girls would immediately shut him down by bringing up a long list of examples where he'd jumped into a fight without hesitation. "I didn't have a choice!" he immediately reverted to his default counter-argument. "I had to do all that."

"You say that..." May smiled forlornly. "But you're going to choose to go back into the Dungeon again, aren't you, Kusanagi Godou?"

"I don't have a choice..." he said again, much weaker than before. "Bad things are happening in there, and it could be partly my fault."

Ever since that monster tamer had said that one word.

 _Campione._

He had known that he'd been dragged into whatever mess that was going on in the Dungeon.

"Nonsense," May said immediately, crossing her arms. "Did you even have an idea of how any of those mishaps happened?"

"No," Godou admitted.

"Then how can it be your fault?" she demanded.

"It's complicated," was the only thing Godou could say.

"It's not." May's tone suddenly became gentle. "It's very simple. Bad things are happening. You want to stop them. You're the type of person who thinks that having power means having a responsibility to protect others." She flashed a beaming smile at him. "Do you know what we call people like you?"

"No?" Godou said, unsure. May was being awfully chatty today, wasn't she?

"We call them heroes."

It was almost like a slap to his face.

 _The gash is still bleeding, no matter how much Godou tries to stop it. In fact, it only seems to be getting deeper and wider._

 _"A cursed wound from the scythe of the Grim Reaper," Ena says, laughing pathetically. "If that can't kill me, then I don't know what can."_

 _Godou doesn't how she can still smile while saying it, not when he can literally see her heartbeats slowing down and weakening through her ribcage._

 _"Don't talk, Ena. I can still save you."_

 _He presses his hands into her wound again, channeling every single Authority that comes to mind, but stops when she winces and places her hand on his own._

 _"Stop, Godou. I can't be saved."_

 _"Shh. Don't say that. I-"_

 _"It's too late for me, Godou. But not for the others. That whole town is going to die unless you distract him."_

 _"I...can't. I can't do that. I can't let you die."_

 _Ena somehow still has the strength to bring her hand up to his face. He can feel it quivering against his skin as it becomes colder and colder._

 _"You have to, Godou. Because you're a hero."_

"I'm not a hero." Godou physically recoiled upon hearing those words.

"I hope not," May said wistfully.

Godou looked up, stunned.

"Heroes always die. And I don't want you to die, Godou."

"May..."

"I was the only chef in the Hostess for a long, long time," she said, interrupting him. "Sure, there were the others, but when it was time to work, it was only me in the kitchen, and the rest would be outside waiting tables. Then you came along, and I was really glad that you did, because I never realized how lonely I had been until the day you went back into the Dungeon. I was worried, you know, that you wouldn't come back."

Damn it, Godou realized. He hadn't even told May before he left. He'd made her worry, and now he felt like an ass.

"I know we don't talk a lot," the Cat-Girl continued, "but it was reassuring and fun just to have you cooking at my side. The way I knew I could count on you when we were behind orders, or the way I'd help you when you were overloaded. I never realized how much I wanted a fellow chef with me in the kitchen."

"Sorry." Godou found himself apologizing again. "I didn't mean to make you worry."

"It's not your fault, you were just doing what you thought you had to," May said, trying to laugh it off. Godou knew she was trying to cheer up the mood, but the weak chuckle she made only made things sound worse. "But you know, sometimes it's okay to be a little selfish. Like me right now, I don't want you going back to the Dungeon even if it means that people might die."

He desperately wanted to do just that. Whatever was going on in the Dungeon wasn't his problem. This wasn't his world, and his sudden appearance here was only a byproduct of the root cause. This wasn't his war to fight. He wanted to be selfish. There had to be other people in this world that could fix it.

But he just couldn't do it.

"I'm sorry, May. I'm still going back. I have to."

May tried not to look disappointed, and Godou felt like he was scum of all mankind when the Cat-Girl had to wipe away a tear. "Spoken like a true hero. Maybe that's why the adventurer life isn't for me," she lamented, looking away momentarily. When she turned to face him again, she had a renewed expression of determination. "Promise me you won't die, okay? It's not just me, a lot of others will be hurt, too."

"I promise," he said resolutely. He would never allow himself to die. At least, not until whatever had brought him here was destroyed.

Because there was one thing he had realized. If there was a way for something to bring him here, then there was nothing stopping that entity from summoning another Campione.

And if that ever happened, then every single God and adventurer in this world would be at risk.

Godou had only been in Orario for slightly more than a month, and somehow he'd already fallen in love with it. The way of life. The people. The Gods. More than anything, Gods like Loki and Ganesha had to be protected. They were good Gods, Gods that treated human beings like their own flesh and blood. Gods that had a good sense of morality. Gods that were willing to give up power in order to help those they loved. They were Gods worth believing in, and therefore Gods worth protecting.

Godou knew that not every God was like them. But then again, not every Campione was like him. If they came, they would not see things the way he did. Gods would become their prey. The Dungeon, their playground. The people of Orario, their subjects. There existed Campione even worse than Heretic Gods, and Godou had seen them with his own eyes.

And then Godou had made a decision he had wanted to avoid making the past month. This was now his world, and he was going to protect it. And there was no way he was ever going to allow some battle-hungry, glory-seeking, violent, Godslayer to meddle with it.

He had chuckled when he had arrived at such a conclusion.

 _All so I could live a normal life_.

 **XxxxX**

 **A/N: I hope you guys like irony, haha :P**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Yeah, not going to lie. Last chapter was kind of a filler, but I was coming back from a long break and needed to ease into it. Anyway, hopefully, y'all wont see this as a filler :) Almost 7k words!**

 **PS: alot of scene changes in this chapter (the XxxxX's), but it's partly because I didn't want things to seem too long-winded.**

 **XxxxX**

 **Chapter Seven: Freya and Hestia**

Kusanagi Godou sighed. Deciding to enter the Dungeon again was all well and good—wait actually, it wasn't. He was already starting to feel regret, but the risk of having Salvatore Doni or another Campione in this world wasn't one he could allow. Still, he wasn't actually sure how he would go about doing it.

The Dungeon, from all the stories he'd heard, was a dangerous place, and his fuzzy and incomplete memories of his first time there confirmed it. It wasn't just the monsters, but the Dungeon itself. Labyrinths, dead-ends, pitfalls...there were endless numbers of ways adventurers could get themselves lost and stuck inside. With an unending amount of monsters and no supplies, it was easy to imagine why maps were the most important thing any rookie adventurer needed to have.

Godou had gone into several shops that sold maps. They only had maps up till the Fortieth Floor.

 _"Sorry, kid. But only the top Guilds have maps for anywhere deeper. You'll be better off asking one of them for help."_

Which brought about another headache altogether. Should he go alone? Or tag along with another Familia? Loki's upcoming expedition to the Fifty-Ninth floor was no secret and Godou was fairly certain that as long as he asked nicely, the goddess would be more than willing to let him on board. But that being said, Godou was also certain that his additional presence in the expedition would probably make things much harder for the rest.

It was either that, or risk getting lost in the Dungeon for a few weeks again.

 _I suppose if I just break through the ground repeatedly, I can get to the Deeper Floors easily until I find what I'm looking..._ he idly wondered, _but getting back up after that will be a challenge of its own. And I don't want to attract any more attention than I have to..._

He was so deep in thought that he didn't realize he'd reached the entrance of the Hostess until he bumped into someone walking out.

And then he instantly froze, because he could identify the presence of a God even with his eyes closed.

He stared after the hooded figure that continued walking past him at a rather brisk pace. It definitely wasn't Loki, because the redheaded God would stop at no excuse to pester him. It suspicious, considering the Hostess was closed.

He jogged after the figure and grabbed their hand.

"Hi," he said, trying to be polite and firm at the same time.

The God turned, and Godou found himself momentarily captivated.

With skin as white as snow and lips blood-red, Godou found himself staring at the beautiful face of Freya, who he hadn't seen since he woke up in this world. A single glance into her violet eyes and Godou found himself visualizing the voluptuous figure that was hidden behind her cloak. The way her ample bosom shook with each step. The way her hips swayed as she climbed on top of him. The way his fingers could dance up her killer curves as she-

He immediately dispelled the visions, glaring at the goddess. "I'd appreciate it if you'd stopped doing that."

Instantly, he felt Freya's presence disappear from his mind.

She smirked. "Not in the mood, are you?"

Godou scowled. "What were you doing in the Hostess?" he asked, straight to the point. He'd met people like Freya before. Giving her control of the conversation would only end up in him being led around in circles.

Godou wouldn't allow that. Not when it was a God in question.

Freya's face dropped into a small pout. "Can't a goddess check up on her children? I haven't seen little Mia in so long."

Godou blinked, slightly surprised. "You know Mama Mia?"

"Of course," Freya said, a small hint of pride in her voice. "She was in my Familia. Then one day she got injured and she decided that she had enough of fighting and wanted to open a tavern. I've missed her, you know."

Now Godou felt a little bad. "Oh. I didn't know that." He'd never met Freya before, and it was a little presumptuous of him to assume she had bad intentions from the very start.

"You sound... _disappointed_." Freya suddenly tiptoed and whispered into his ear, "if you want me to stay a little longer, I don't mind."

Godou felt shivers run up his spine, and he immediately created more distance between him and the goddess. Freya had her tongue trailing her lips seductively, and he turned away.

"I'm good. Nice seeing you again, Lady Freya."

He could almost hear Freya smirk. "I'll see you soon, Kusanagi Godou."

 **XxxxX**

When Godou walked in, he only saw Lunoire and Syr, the only other humans in the Hostess, sitting on tables chatting.

"Hi Godou," they greeted together.

Godou frowned as he stopped and looked around. "Mama Mia isn't in?"

"No," Lunoire said. The brown-haired girl stood up and walked to him. "She went out to restock."

"She should back soon if you're looking for her!" Syr skipped over, her personality bubbly as usual.

"It's fine," he waved off. "Did Freya come in?"

The girls suddenly looked at each other.

"Yeah, she did," Syr said, bringing her finger to her chin. "I think she was looking for Mama Mia too!"

Lunoire nodded. "She walked around for a bit before we told her Mama Mia wasn't in and then she left," she explained calmly.

Godou crossed his arms. "Freya didn't do anything else?" he asked, still not entirely convinced.

Syr cocked her head. "No?"

Maybe Freya really was telling the truth. "Hmm...was Mama Mia really in Freya's guild?" he asked them. But then, there was always a chance that the goddess had been lying.

"Yep!" Syr said. "She used to come a lot more when we just opened, but we haven't seen her as much of late."

Godou was honestly stumped. He'd met Freya twice, and each meeting had only left his impression of her more and more distorted. She definitely wasn't as down-to-earth as Loki, but Godou still found himself on the fence if she was a "good" God or a "bad" God. Information about her Familia was scarce too. Beside the highest-Leveled adventurer, Ottar, being in it, Godou knew next to nothing about them.

"Does Mama Mia ever talk about Freya?" he asked again. Now that he thought about it, Godou realized that Freya was another possible source of assistance for his attempt to explore the Deeper Floors. If not lending some manpower, at least a map would have been sufficient.

"Nuh uh," Syr said, shaking her head. "She doesn't like talking about her time as an adventurer. I guess that's why she never asks anyone here about their time, either."

Godou found himself nodding in agreement. He'd heard from customers' rumor-mongering and from overhearing a few of the waitresses' conversations that almost everyone working here was high-Leveled. To his knowledge, only Syr and May were civilians. He also knew that not everyone had a clean history too, and Godou found his respect for Mama Mia grow another layer.

"Godou, are you perhaps considering joining Freya's Familia?" Lunoire suddenly asked.

Before he could even answer, Syr made a squeaky, alarmed gasp. "Godou, you can't do that! Lady Loki will be heartbroken!"

He rolled his eyes. "I'm not joining any Familia," he said, exasperated. "I like working here. I'd rather not quit."

"You don't have to quit," Lunoire said matter-of-factly. "I'm still a member of the Demeter Familia. Mama Mia, if I'm not wrong, is also still listed as being part of Freya's Familia."

"Huh?" Godou was quite confused. "But I don't see you going into the Dungeon."

Now Lunoire looked puzzled. "Why would I go into the Dungeon? The Demeter Familia is an agricultural Familia. We grow plants."

"But...then how did you get to Level Four?" Godou asked. To his knowledge, Leveling Up required a certain of extent of fighting.

Lunoire's expression faltered, revealing a mixture of guilt and something a little more sinister. "I...wasn't always in the Demeter Familia."

"Oh." Godou scratched his head sheepishly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to pry." He hesitated for a moment. "Wait, but I don't understand. How can you be in the Demeter Familia but work for the Hostess? Shouldn't you be helping Demeter with uh...the plants?" He was even more confused now. Weren't Familias organizations? What was the point of Lunoire being in one if she wasn't helping them out?

"I used to, for a short while." Lunoire let out a laugh, a smile back on her face. "But one thing led to another and I ended up working here. Now I act as a middleman between Lady Demeter and Mama Mia. The Hostess buys vegetables from our farm."

Godou forced himself to sit down. Since he had the time, he figured it was time that he actually understood how the whole Familia system worked. Loki had made it sound like all Familias were battle-hungry groups of adventurers that tackled the Dungeon on a daily basis, and his interactions with Ganesha's Familia had done nothing to contradict that image.

But this brief conversation with Lunoire, with Syr sitting at the side and looking confused, had been downright revolutionary to him.

"Lunoire, please teach me what exactly a Familia is."

 **XxxxX**

Godou sighed. He should've known better than to blindly accept Loki's explanation of a Familia.

For a start, not all Familia's were adventurer-based. While most people joined Familia's because they wanted a Falna, it didn't necessarily mean that all of them were going to become adventurers that killed monsters for a living. Even most Gods didn't want that.

"Lady Demeter's really nice," Lunoire had said. "She just really likes gardening and wanted to do it with humans. Well that and gossiping, I guess."

In exchange for a Falna and the ability to update it, humans joined a God's Familia and basically did whatever their Familias did, along with a small tax. In the case of Lady Demeter, it was something as simple as gardening and farming. But there existed all kinds of other Familias that ran businesses like apothecaries, blacksmiths, and even shadier ones like brothels. In their free time, if they wanted, they could go into the Dungeon and gain experience and try to Level Up, which would give them skills that could help them.

In light of this revelation, Godou was now seriously reconsidering his decision to avoid Familias as much as possible. He wondered if he could even receive a Falna. It didn't seem like something a Campione's body would be allowed to receive.

Maybe he should go in the kitchen and ask May for her thoughts. Surely the Cat-girl had her own opinions on Familias.

He suddenly stopped walking. He'd become fairly attuned to sensing magic after so many battles involving it, so the familiar sensation of a magical object sitting right next to him caused him to screech to a halt.

He walked this path everyday, and he was certain there hadn't been such a thing here yesterday.

Godou eyes immediately honed in on the thick, leather-bound book lying on the edge of the bar counter. His hand reached out to grab it, a tingle of energy running through his body the moment his fingers made contact.

 _Definitely magic._

"Modern Magic Even a Goblin Could Understand," he read the title out softly.

He flipped it open.

The surge of arcane energy that washed over him was immediately rejected by his magical-resistant body, and he snapped the book shut.

"Syr, Lunoire," he said loudly, causing the two waitresses to look over to him. He raised the book in the air. "Do either of you know why there's a random Grimoire lying around here?"

 **XxxxX**

"We should sell it," Syr proposed, nodding her head sagely. "And split the profits."

"That's stealing," Godou said flatly, not missing a beat.

"Even if we want to return it, we don't know whose it is," Lunoire said. "But it's not wise to leave such a valuable object out in the open either."

Mama Mia, who had come back, looked at the book. "I'll give whoever lost it one week to come and take it back. If they don't want it, we're selling it."

"Yay!" Syr cheered happily. "So? Where should we hide it so no one can find it?"

Godou stared at her. In his time in the Hostess, he'd found himself doubting Syr's bubbly and somewhat-cute personality with every passing day. The way she seemed to ensnare rookie adventurers into patronizing the tavern certainly hadn't gone unnoticed by him either.

"It might be Freya's," he said. "She dropped by for a little bit just now. She's probably one of the few people in Orario who could afford walking around with one of these anyway."

"Freya, huh." Mama Mia brought her hand to her chin. "In that case, one of us should probably bring it back to her."

"I'll do it," Godou immediately said. This was a good chance for him to ask Freya about the Deeper Floors as well.

Mama Mia looked surprised. "Do you know where to find her?"

"I'm sure I can find out where the Freya Familia is located," he said, shrugging. Familia headquarters were available to the public.

Mama Mia shook her head. "She doesn't live with them. She stays in Babel. The very top floor."

 **XxxxX**

Godou found it a little surprising how he had never actually stepped foot in Babel in all his time in Orario so far.

Considering it was the tallest building in the city, right smack in the center, and also basically a gigantic mall/marketplace, Godou found himself getting distracted over and over again.

There weren't just shops that sold adventurer-centric goods like weapons and armor. If Erica were here, she would have spent hours dragging him from one clothes shop to another, determined to try as many dresses as possible. Lilliana probably would have hunkered down in the very first bookstore he'd passed by and buried her nose in the endless magical textbooks they had. Yuri would have slowed down as they walked past the jewelry store, and the subtle looks she would give him would force him to buy whatever shiny object that had caught her fancy.

It had been a small relief for him back then that Ena hated shopping.

He was so focused on reminiscing that he somehow managed to walk into a wall.

"Kusanagi Godou."

A talking wall?! Godou immediately looked up.

 _This guy...he's got to be at least two meters tall!_ There was no way the man standing in front of him was human, not with those two animal ears protruding out. A Boaz? Godou hadn't seen one before, but he was quite certain that it wasn't normal for them to have such a large and sturdy build.

"You are Kusanagi Godou, correct?" the talking wall said again after a moment of silence.

He nodded. "Yeah, I am. Sorry for walking into you. And you are?"

The man offered a small bow and introduced himself. "I am Ottar, Captain of the Freya Familia. Lady Freya is expecting you."

Godou narrowed his eyes, recognizing the strongest adventurer in Orario instantly. Well this was unexpected. His hand tightened around the Grimoire. So she had planned this all along.

"Lead the way then, Mister Ottar."

 **XxxxX**

Godou hadn't expected Freya to own the _entire_ top floor of Babel.

But she did, and she was sitting comfortably in an armchair, a view of Orario in front of her.

"Hello, Godou." Her voice silky as usual, Freya stood up and walked towards him with a gaze he could only describe as predatory. She leaned forward, making her cleavage even more pronounced than it already was. "I'm surprised you're back to see me again so soon. I thought we had enough fun just now, didn't we?"

Within Godou, a war raged on. Out of all the Gods he'd seen in this world, none flaunted their divine presence as much as Freya. The Campione within him was screaming at him to back off, that the being in front of him was an enemy, and that she was far too close for comfort. But the man within him wanted to get as close as he could to her. Her attire was scandalous, revealing more skin than cloth, and the perfect proportions she had only made his imagination run wild.

He gulped. He was here for one, and only one, reason.

He raised the book up, using it as a makeshift shield between him and Freya. "Is this yours, Lady Freya?"

The goddess peeled the book away from his fingertips, a not-so-pleased look appearing on her face when she flipped through it. "You didn't read it," she said, sounding slightly disappointed.

"Was I supposed to?" he asked, now feeling puzzled. Why would he read a Grimoire that wasn't his? "When I took a peek inside, I resisted the magic that came out."

Godou found Freya's subsequent jaw-drop a nice reminder that Gods here weren't the all-knowing and all-powerful beings they were in his old world.

"I...see," Freya said, quickly recovering her former serene visage. "That is...uncommon."

Godou could feel the corners of lips sinking. "Did you leave that grimoire for me?"

Freya shrugged. "I was prepared for you to read it. I did not anticipate you returning it to me in an unused state, however."

He was starting to feel uneasy. Ottar standing stiffly behind him like Freya's personal attack dog did little to soothe his nerves. What exactly was Freya thinking, offering him a grimoire? "Aren't grimoires valuable and rare?" he asked. "Why are you giving one to me when I'm not even in your Familia?"

Was the goddess even trying to help him? Or was there something more sinister behind her actions?

"That can change." Freya offered him a wide grin. "If you join my Familia I'll give you an executive position right now."

Godou blinked, letting her words sink in. Judging from the way Ottar had shifted slightly, the Freya Familia's captain had been taken by surprise as well. He didn't really know what an executive position was, but it sounded mightily important.

"I'm going to have to decline," Godou said, offering an apologetic smile. "I'm just a simple chef."

He'd said that line to countless people, and their reactions had varied. Some had laughed. Some had rolled their eyes. Loki would throw a small tantrum every time he turned down an invite to her Familia with it. But Freya's nod of agreement was a first.

"For now, you are." She placed a finger on his chest, before teasingly dragging it up to rest it on his lips. "But if you join me, you could become so much more. An adventurer. A god among men. A _hero_."

It wasn't so much her offer that had his heart nearly beating out of his ribcage, but the way Freya was leaning up against him. He could smell her breath, and it reminded him of freshly-picked flowers. He could feel her skin pressed up against his, and the sheer smoothness of it made her actions that much more unexpected. Obscene images portraying pure ecstasy and debauchery instinctively flashed past in his mind.

"Freya," he said, intentionally dropping the 'Lady' before her name. "Please stop."

The goddess sighed and pried herself off him. Instantly, his mind became clear again. "You're no fun."

Godou took that as a compliment. His idea of 'fun' had never clashed with that of a God's before. "I'll have to decline your kind offer, Lady Freya. I rather quite like the life I have now. Being a simple chef is..." he smiled, "fun."

For a moment, he thought he saw a scowl on Freya's face. But she'd turned at the same time, so there was no way to be sure. "My offer is always open, Godou."

"I'll keep that in mind," he said neutrally. Internally, he wondered if it was still wise to ask Freya if he could borrow a map for the Deeper Floors. Freya looked displeased, if the frown she was directing at the grimoire in her hands was anything to go by. He decided against it. He'd try his luck with Loki first. He'd trust the redheaded goddess over Freya any day.

"Godou, catch."

The grimoire suddenly flew towards his direction, but Godou expertly caught it with one hand. "I told you, I don't want this."

"Neither do I," Freya said, sounding bored as she gestured to the wall behind her. It was a giant bookshelf, packed to the brim with ancient-looking tomes. "As you can see, my library's rather full. You can keep it. If you're not going to use it, then give it to someone who you think deserves it."

Godou narrowed his eyes at the goddess. He hated Gods like this. To be exact, he disliked people who were like this. People who liked interfering with the lives of others, playing all sorts of mind games. They hid in the shadows, trying to manipulate events to their liking, never actually taking responsibility for any of the messes they created. People who thought they knew everything and were always right.

"I could sell the grimoire," he said casually.

"But you won't," Freya replied easily. "Because that's the kind of man you are. You don't care about money. You care about doing what's right, which is why you're here. And you're the type of man who's going to make sure that the power in that grimoire doesn't fall into the wrong person's hands."

Godou could feel his teeth grating against each other in a mixture of irritation and frustration.

The annoying thing about those people he disliked was that, more often than not, they actually _were_ right.

 **XxxxX**

"She _gave_ you the grimoire?" Mama Mia asked, slightly surprised.

"Yeah," Godou replied, feeling slightly at a loss. "Told me to give it to someone worthy. To be honest, I'm not quite sure what to do with it."

"Sell it!" Syr chimed in. "We could close the Hostess for the weekend and go on a company vacation! We could go to the beach!"

He could see the others nodding in agreement. He had to admit, the idea did sound enticing. But...

"No, that's not the right thing to do." Surprisingly, it was Mama Mia that put her foot down. "It's not wise to go against Lady Freya. If she wants you to give it to someone worthy, you'd better start looking, Godou."

He sighed. He agreed with her of course, but he wasn't sure why _he_ was the one that had to decide. He'd been so surprised at Freya's decision that he'd ended up dumbly going with it. On hindsight, he could have just left it on her table and walked out, but that might have only angered Freya even more. Even if they were rendered impotent in their human forms, Godou knew that angering any God was a stupid thing to do.

Godou put the book on the table. This was why getting mixed up with Gods was always a bad idea. "I don't suppose any of you have suggestions? Any struggling adventurers in need of a power-up?"

He looked around. The rest of the Hostess seemed clueless.

Then Syr's hand shot up in the air excitedly. "I do!"

 **XxxxX**

"Bell Cranel."

The boy across Godou looked nervous.

He'd seen the boy come into the Hostess several times for dinner, and even cooked most of his meals, but he hadn't actually spoken to the white-haired adventurer since the encounter where he'd knocked out Bete Loga.

"Hi..." Godou frowned when he heard the fear and awe in Bell's voice. The boy was staring at him with wide eyes, but shirked his gaze away every time Godou tried making eye contact. It was something, as a Campione, he was quite familiar with.

"So you're an adventurer," Godou said. It was actually beginning to feel kind of awkward, as if Godou was giving Bell some kind of job interview. Except Bell didn't know about the grimoire—he'd stopped by for some reason, only for Syr to drag him into the kitchen to meet Godou.

"Yes!" Bell said excitedly.

"But you're not very good."

"Yes..." Bell said again, now deflated. "But I'm working hard!" he pumped his fist, reinvigorated. "I'll become strong so I can repay Lady Hestia's kindness!"

Godou felt one of his eyebrows rise at that statement. "I remember meeting Lady Hesita before." She'd been there, together with Freya and Hephaestus when Loki had wanted to test his ability to lie to Gods. "I didn't know she had a Familia."

"Ah." Bell scratched his cheek, sounding embarrassed. "That's because it's only the two of us. We're a new Familia."

"Sounds tough," Godou said. Syr had said that Bell was a hero. Godou briefly remembered the boy trying to help him during the Bete Incident despite being hopelessly outclassed by the werewolf. But according to the waitress, when monsters had escaped from the Monster Feria, he had willingly used himself as bait to save civilians. The boy showed potential.

"It's hard, especially on Lady Hestia! She's been working non-stop, trying to make money to support us. And even though she won't tell me..." he pulled out an obsidian dagger, "I know she's in a lot of debt because of this knife she got me. I have to get stronger, go Deeper into the Dungeon, so I can hurry up and pull my own weight in the Familia!"

Godou could almost feel the resolve and determination leaking out from Bell. Something had changed within boy. He was no longer nervous, instead now displaying a mettle that Godou could respect. He let out a sigh. He suddenly felt so _old_. Who was he to judge if the boy was worthy of power? He resisted the urge to laugh. It was almost like he was _playing god_. It was something he'd realized long ago. Power shouldn't be given out, it had to be _earned_.

Godou drummed his fingers on the surface of the table. Bell had made Lady Hestia sound like some kind of saint. For some reason, he wanted to meet her.

 **XxxxX**

"Fried Potatoes! Fresh and hot fried potatoes for sale!"

Godou didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Hestia was a God, wasn't she? This wasn't what he had in mind when Bell said Hestia was working. The goddess was wearing an apron over her dress, running a food stall in one of Orario's market.

"We've got all kinds of toppings, like cream and red beans! Fried potatoes!"

Wasn't this kind of...humiliating for a God? Reduced to a hawker that no one paid a second glance to?

Godou weighed his options. She was working, wasn't she? It wouldn't be very nice of him to disturb her while she was on the clock. According to Bell, their Familia really needed the money.

So he decided to watch from the side instead. If anything, watching her work would certainly offer him deeper insight to her character.

So for the next thirty minutes, Kusanagi Godou leaned against the wall and watched Hestia cook and sell fried potatoes. She was certainly an energetic girl, fully capable of advertising her store loudly once every few minutes. When she did manage to attract customers, her face would be plastered with a big smile as she served them. After they left, she'd pump her fist in determination and begin to fry another batch of potatoes. No matter how Godou tried spinning it in his mind, the truth was clear. Hestia was behaving no different from any human trying their best to make a living.

 _But she's a goddess_ , Godou reminded herself. _She gave up her life in Heaven for this._

And she looked as if she was enjoying every moment of it as well.

When she finally began to close up her stall, Godou made his move.

"I'm sorry sir, but we're sold out for the day! Can you come back tomorrow?" Hestia immediately bowed to him and apologized.

"It's fine, Lady Hestia. I want to talk to _you_ ," Godou said, letting out a smile.

The black-haired goddess looked at him. "You look familiar...do I know you?" Her face scrunched up, and she tip-toed forwards to get a closer look at his face.

Godou let out a chuckle. "We met nearly a month ago, I guess."

Her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as she took several steps back and leveled an accusing finger at him. "You're that guy! The one that came out of the Dungeon! You can lie to Gods! You're...you're..." she brought her hand to her chin, as if trying to recall something important.

"Kusangi Godou," he supplied helpfully.

"That's right!" Hestia's head bounced up and down. "How have you been? I haven't heard anything ever since you apparently uh...jumped out the window."

"I'm a chef at the Hostess of Fertility," Godou informed her. She genuinely sounded curious about his state of being, which was a nice change of pace after Freya, he supposed.

"The Hostess?" Hestia looked irritated for some reason. "Bell goes there a lot nowadays. Hmph."

"You care about Bell a lot, don't you?" Godou said.

"Huh? Of course I do," Hestia looked slightly confused, as though the answer should have been obvious. "He's in my Familia. And...he was willing to join my Familia when nobody else wanted to. He's been working hard, going into the Dungeon everyday to become stronger so he can be a hero. I love him."

Godou blinked. Hestia had said it in such a straight-forward manner that he momentarily found himself having difficulty digesting her words. "Love, huh," he repeated softly. Were Gods even capable of such a thing?

"How about you, Godou? Have you found yourself a Familia yet?" Hestia asked, a playful smile on her face.

"No," Godou replied.

Hestia placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, an action that surprised him. "Don't worry, it can be hard at the start. A lot of Familias are picky about their members..."

Godou was about to mention something about how he didn't want to join any in the first place, but Hestia's grip on his shoulder suddenly tightened.

" _BUT_ , since I'm such a _kind_ goddess and I feel sorry for you, I certainly won't mind letting you join _mine_."

Godou stared at her in disbelief. She was staring up to him with a big, innocent grin on her face. Well, she certainly had no shame.

"I'll have to decline," he said, slightly deadpan.

Hestia sighed. By now she'd managed to pack up most of her equipment. She untied the apron and shoved it into a small bag she was carrying.

"I have to admit," the goddess said, rather sadly for some reason, "that I saw that coming."

Godou suddenly felt very guilty. Had Hestia taken his rejection personally? He knew that her Familia wasn't very highly regarded, but he hadn't meant it that way at all.

"It's not what you're thinking," he quickly sputtered out. "I don't care about the reputations of Familias and stuff like that, it's just..." he paused, wondering how to properly phrase his reluctance to join any Familia.

"It's just that you're still coping with the loss of your previous family and need time to heal."

Godou felt his jaw drop. "I..." he mumbled out. That wasn't what he planned on saying at all. But before he could refute her words, he realized she wasn't wrong. He still found himself thinking about his girls constantly, even though it'd been more than a decade since the last of them had passed. Joining a Familia felt like he would be replacing them, and they were _irreplaceable_.

"I'm the goddess of family, you know. I know the joy and happiness having a family can bring" the girl continued to say, spinning around so her back was now facing him. She interlocked her hands behind her back and took a few exaggerated steps forward. And then very softly, she whispered. "And I also know the pain losing one brings, too."

A dejected huff escaped through Godou's lips. "Am I that obvious?"

"Nope," Hestia turned back to face him, a beam on her face, though the happiness didn't quite seem to reach her eyes. "You're hiding it very well. But I'm a goddess, you know. I've lived a long time, so I can see through stuff like that easily. You've lost everyone important to you, haven't you?"

The words caused him to wince, but the kind undertone she said them with calmed him instead.

He shrugged. "It was a long time ago. I'm getting better."

"I know," Hestia agreed. "I can tell. You've gotten much better since the last time I saw you. The sorrow used to wrap itself around you like a thick coat. Now it just hangs over your head like an angry cloud."

Godou raised an eyebrow. "That's an interesting perspective."

"Well," Hestia let out an embarrassed laugh. "It's kind of a sixth sense for me, so I don't really know how to describe it to other people. It's also why I don't like going to the Hostess with Bell. Even though all the adventurers are always happy, all the waitresses have the same gloomy aura. It's...depressing, I guess."

Godou found himself unsurprised by this. He'd seen it too. When they were off duty, or during lulls when they thought no one was looking, sometimes they would just stare into the distance for prolonged periods of time, sighing when they were done. He knew the symptoms of a painful memory well. "Everybody there has a story, I guess," he said, forcing himself to laugh.

"It's good that you're all together then. You can form your only little family of hurt children," Hestia said. "It's a start."

"I suppose it is."

"So?" Hestia said, her voice suddenly more upbeat. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

Feeling relieved that the conversation had shifted, Godou steeled himself for the question he was about to ask.

"How much?"

Hestia tilted her head. "For what?"

"For the dagger you got for Bell. How much do you owe?" Bell had shown him the dagger. He had touched it, and asked Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi and Lancelot for their opinions.

 _'Pinnacle of mortal crafting'_ they had called it.

For a moment, Hestia said nothing.

"Why do you care?" she suddenly asked, getting slightly defensive. "I made my choice."

Godou stared her down. "And I'm about to make mine. So tell me."

The staring battle that ensued lasted at least for half a minute, before Hestia finally relented and released a dejected breath. "I...don't know. Hephaestus told me that it's probably the most expensive dagger she's ever made and left it at that. It's going to take me a long time to repay her."

Hestia sounded frustrated, but Godou could detect no regret in her words.

"Why go so far for a boy that you barely know?" Godou felt a little bad when he saw Hestia flinch slightly. He didn't mean to pressure her like that.

"It's the least I can do." Hestia clenched her fists. "He told me he grew up without his parents, and his only family, his grandfather, died when he was young. I'm the goddess of family, and there stood in front of me of a boy who was deprived one of life's greatest joys. It angered me that I couldn't do anything about it. So I made my decision right then and there. I'm going to support Bell by doing everything I can do to help him achieve his goal of being a hero. I'm going to be _his family_."

 _'Give it to someone who you think deserves it'_ , Freya had said, hadn't she?

It was odd. He'd come here to get a deeper understanding of Bell, but instead he found something else entirely.

The corners of his lips twitched upwards to form a smile against his will. He took out the grimoire and held it in front of Hestia.

"Here, take this. I want you to have it."

Hestia gave him a strange look, before uncertainly accepting it. Her eyes widened when she flipped it open. "This is a grimoire!" she hissed, looking around as if she was worried someone might overhear.

"I know," Godou said calmly. "It's yours."

For a few seconds, her disbelieving gaze alternated between him and the book in her hands.

"I can't!" she shook her head. "I can't afford this."

"It's free," Godou said, rolling his eyes.

"Really?" Hestia was ecstatic for a moment. But her expression quickly morphed into one of doubt. "Wait. Why? Why are you giving me such a valuable item? It's worth...a lot, you know."

Godou grinned playfully. "Why do you care? I made my choice." he said to her, borrowing her earlier words.

The goddess was not amused. "You're crazy. People aren't supposed to do this! Nobody's just this... _nice_. What do you want, Kusanagi Godou?"

"I already got what I wanted," he replied casually. "So the grimoire's yours."

Hestia looked extremely hesitant. But after a few seconds of deliberation, her shoulders finally relaxed, and she pulled the book closer to her well-endowed chest. "No takebacks?"

Godou barked out in laughter. "No takebacks," he confirmed.

"What...what am I supposed to with it?" she asked cautiously.

Godou shrugged noncommittally. "Whatever you want. Give it to Bell. Sell it. Display it on your coffee table. It's yours."

Finally, the smile Godou was waiting for appeared on Hestia's face. "I...I don't know how to thank you. Are you sure you don't want to join my Familia?"

"I'm sure, Lady Hestia."

Hestia winced. "We could overcome your pain together, you know. We can be your new family!"

Godou offered her a pained smile. "I appreciate your offer, but I know what I need right now."

Hestia was trying to keep the tears in. Godou could see her eyes pooling. "You're making this hard for me," she mumbled, bringing a hand to wipe her eyes. "I'm going to feel very bad if I don't offer you something in return."

"Hmmm," Godou said, pretending to be in deep in thought. "Just keep being the ' _kind goddess_ ' you are," he borrowed her earlier words again, "and I'll be fine with that."

Hestia sniffled. "You're horrible, you know that?" She wiped her eyes again. "Come back tomorrow. _Please_."

Godou cocked his head. "Tomorrow? Sure, I guess. But why?"

Her face went red. She said something softly Godou didn't quite catch.

"Can you repeat that?"

"I said," Hestia said, louder this time. "I'll...give you...a fried potato."

Godou blinked. Then he grinned mischievously. "Just _one_?"

Her face turned even redder. "Two...Three...As many as you want! With whatever toppings you like!"

Godou chuckled. "No takebacks?"

She nodded her head firmly. "No takebacks."

Godou stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Alright then. I'll see you tomorrow then, Lady Hestia." With that, he started to walk away. The Sun was setting, which meant that adventurers should be returning from the Dungeon right about now. The Hostess would get full pretty soon and he had to help May in the kitchen.

When he rounded the corner, he couldn't help but laugh when he heard Hestia's childish whoop of joy.

"Someone who deserves it, huh," Godou mumbled under his breath. "Who knew it would be a God of all people?"

He might not be sure about Bell, but Hestia certainly earned it.

 **XxxxX**

 **A/N: So, no action. But like I mentioned before, this story's more about Godou and the Gods instead of epic fighting. Oh yeah, do checkout my new fic, A Certain Group of Overpowered Espers. It's a Boku no Hero and Toaru cross over, so if you like either of them and my writing, you're going to like it! ...I hope. Also, do let me know if you spot any mistakes. Any volunteers for a Beta Reader are welcome! (PM me.)**

 **As always, Favs, Follows and reviews are super appreciated!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Eight: The Loki Familia**

In his many years of existence, Kusanagi Godou had discovered a rather interesting fallacy within human behavior.

He called it the 'Fat-Dress Paradox' in honor of a particularly painful experience with Erica in the past that had enlightened him.

His finger hovered dangerously above the doorbell. Right now, he was faced with an important choice.

But what was life, if not a string of important choices? Loosely speaking, fate was nothing more than a very tall decision tree. Godou realized this long ago, and thus to him, decision-making skills were arguably the most important skills.

Rational and normal humans generally made their choices using the same method: pros versus cons. In other words, humans made their decisions based on what was beneficial to them.

Godou liked to think of himself as a rational and normal human being, despite what countless of other people had told him.

If something was advantageous to him, he'd do it. If something was disadvantageous to him, he wouldn't.

Fighting Heretic Gods and other Campiones for fun? Big no-no. It was tiring. It was destructive. It was painful. All for what? A little bit of extra power? Totally not worth the trade-off. If lives were at stake, then maybe he would reconsider.

This little distinction was Godou's pride and joy. Unlike every other Campione he'd met...He. Was. _Normal_.

Because he made his choices like normal human beings. He went to grocery stores when there were sales. He stopped at red lights. He ignored Heretic Gods waving big pointy swords at him, demanding a challenge.

Normal.

But, the world was imperfect. And thus, imperfect information existed. Hence, the aforementioned pros and cons were difficult to accurately determine. There would always be a certain degree of randomness and uncertainty in every decision.

Cue the 'Fat-Dress Paradox'.

It had started out with, in Godou's opinion, a very innocent question by Erica.

 _"Godou? Does this dress make me look fat?"_

They hadn't been going out very long yet, and Godou was surprised that the beautiful and normally self-assured Erica Blandelli had asked such a question. Obviously, there must have been something different about that particular dress compared to the others.

So he'd taken a very long time to inspect the Erica before him. Erica had an amazing body. She wasn't quite as slender as Liliana, but the curves she had that Liliana didn't more than made up for it.

Except...not this time. The dress was tight at all the wrong places, and loose at where it needed to hug her skin. Overall, it added volume to Erica's figure.

So, "Yes" was his very innocent answer.

What happened next wasn't innocent at all.

Naturally, the next time Erica posed the same question to him, his answer had been a quick "no", even though his true opinion was the opposite.

And Erica went along with it. That night had been, by all accounts, flawless. Except Godou hadn't enjoyed it one bit. Erica had called it perfect, and Godou had nearly broken down from guilt and regret. Because if she'd worn a different dress, things could have become _even more perfect_. He'd deprived Erica of that greater experience.

And so, when the scenario repeated itself once more, Godou could only reply with a very reluctant "yes".

He did the same the time after that.

And then the subsequent one.

And so on.

The results never changed.

And then one day, a bruised and battered Godou reached a realization. There was literally no benefit to him saying "yes". He was consciously and consistently making a decision that was completely detrimental to him.

That...that was not normal at all. In fact, despite being legally and medically wrong, a common definition of insanity was 'doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.' By that definition, wouldn't that make Godou insane?

Impossible. Godou had refused to accept such an outrageous claim.

There had to be a _normal_ explanation for it.

And so, after hours of trawling online forums, Godou stumbled upon a support group for netizens stuck in the same boat as him. He discovered that there were countless people facing the same dilemma as him everyday. People who just couldn't bring themselves to say 'no' to the landmine-esque question despite said answer being the 'safe' answer.

His relief had been palpable.

So he was normal.

But the behavior clearly was not. With great gusto, Godou engaged deeply in conversation with his comrades. There had to be a logical explanation for it. Why else would so many _normal_ , _non-insane, non-masochistic_ men commit the same mistake over and over again?

The answer lay in imperfect information. The fact of the matter was this: Godou and the rest did not reply "yes" to the loaded question because they knew they were going to be beat up. They replied "yes" _in spite_ _of it_. They did so because they had a dream. They were united by a common desire that one day their partners would not get offended and beat them senseless, and instead agree with them and wear a dress that looked better on them.

The odds were slim and the risks were high. But his experience as a Campione had taught him one thing: the importance of hope. They could not give up simply because the wall before them was too high. They needed to persevere, to press on and stick to their beliefs despite the furies of scorned women. The future was not set in stone. There could come a day when instead of getting angry, Erica, or any other woman, looked into the mirror and said "you're right. It does make me look fat", before changing into another dress. And Godou was determined to live to see that day.

Because it would mean that his actions were justified and more importantly, _normal_.

And thus, the 'Fat-Dress Paradox' was born, and Godou used to it to describe any situation where a perfectly normal person like him made a choice that would almost guarantee disastrous results, for the sake of achieving that tiny, one-in-a-million chance of a miracle happening.

The present Godou sighed. It came from a mixture of nostalgia and irony. He'd only recently realized that a human choosing to fight a Heretic God fell perfectly within the definition of the 'Fat-Dress Paradox'.

No matter, the past was in the past. The important thing was the future.

He finger sunk into the button. The gate had been left open, and Godou had walked up to the front door of the huge estate before him without interruption. There was a giant garden around him, complete with lawn chairs and umbrella-equipped tea tables, but there was nobody outside either.

 _Ding Dong!_

The wave of regret that hit him was completely expected. The urge to commit a 'Ding-Dong Dash' was repressed. The Cat-girl that answered the door was unexpectedly cute.

"Hi, are you part of the Loki Familia?" he asked politely, trying his best to give off a vibe of _normalcy_.

As she looked him up and down, Godou did the same. Two cat ears sprouted above her long black hair, which matched her short and strapless dress perfectly. Bracer-donned arms folded in front of her chest as she smiled apologetically.

"Sorry, we're not really looking for new members right now."

"That's fine," Godou said. "I'm not looking to join. I just need to talk to Loki."

The girl blinked. Then her lips dropped the smile and instead let out a dejected sigh.

"How much money does she owe you? I promise we'll pay you back."

"Uhm..." Godou had spent the whole morning preparing for this meeting, anticipating every possible scenario. But even a century's worth of brainstorming couldn't have prepared him for a response like that.

"Ooph!" The Cat-girl immediately realized that she let something she shouldn't have slip. Her face turned red and she covered her mouth. "W-what brings you here then, Mister..."

"Kusanagi. I'm Kusanagi Godou," he told her.

Godou didn't like the way her face lit up with recognition when he said his name. He also didn't like the way her tail and ears swished and perked up with excitement. And he most certainly did not like the way she immediately turned around, brought one hand to her mouth, and shouted, "Loki! Kusanagi Godou is here to see you!"

Before, there had been sounds of habitation in the house. The sound of utensils colliding. Idle chatter. Footsteps. But suddenly there was complete silence instead.

Indeed, that had been the response of the Hostess as well when he'd announced that he would be taking the afternoon off to visit the Loki Familia. Poor Syr had been so caught up with rambling on with her delusional fantasies afterwards that Godou was forced to stuff a fried potato into her mouth.

Unfortunately, the complete silence in the Loki Familia's headquarters also meant that Loki's squeaky and excited reply, despite being muffled by several walls, was quite audible to him and everyone else in the house.

"EH? STALL HIM! I'M STILL IN MY PAJAMAS!"

The Cat-girl smiled weakly. "There you have it. I'm Anakitty, by the way."

Godou let out an exasperated breath. "Guess I'll wait then. It's almost past lunch time, does she usually wake up so late?"

"Only when she's hungover," Anakitty said cheerfully, opening the door wider and making room for him to enter. "Would you like me to show you around the place? We have some time to kill while Loki gets ready."

Godou had mixed feelings about her offer. Screw it, he realized. There couldn't be anyone worse than Loki in her Familia, right?

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

To his pleasant surprise, Godou was actually correct.

The adventurers of the Loki Familia were normal. In fact, Godou would have even said that they were pleasant to interact with, except Bete Loga, who kept giving him the stinkeye. Clearly the Werewolf was a very good grudge-holder. Anakitty led him around the mansion, introducing him to everyone.

Godou found watching the Loki Familia go about their daily life refreshing.

When they trained, they were serious and diligent. Godou felt oddly entranced observing them practice their magic and technique. It reminded him that the life of an adventurer wasn't an easy one, even if it was simple. He wouldn't lie, his fingers felt pretty itchy after watching them.

When they were chatting, they were polite and welcoming. Godou found it easy to talk to anyone Anakitty introduced him to, though he slightly regretted not being able to remember each and every single one of their names. The Loki Familia was much bigger than he initially thought.

When they ate, they were boisterous and relaxed. The dining hall was huge. It could probably sit about half as many as the Hostess could. Anakitty even offered to whip up an extra serving of lunch for him, which he graciously declined. He sat with the ever-silent Aiz as she ate, but the adventurers around him still gave him a very homey atmosphere.

Overall, the Loki Familia seemed to be considerate, hardworking, and _normal_.

Everything Loki was not.

Which was such a shame, because she'd finished freshening herself up and was now ready to see him.

He knocked on the door and opened it. "I'm coming in, Lady Loki!"

"Hi Godou, finally changed your mind?"

The redhaired goddess was sprawled across the sofa. A mischievous smile donned her face as she twirled her hair and sat up straight. The way her eyes seemed to dart up and down made Godou feel as though she was sizing him up like a piece of meat.

He was about to shoot off a witty retort but stopped himself when he realized she wasn't alone. Finn was sitting behind a mahogany desk at the back of the room, and the blond Pallum's attention was shared between him and the stack of papers on the desk. Riveria was leaning against the bookshelf, a heavy-looking book in her hand as she adjusted her glasses and gave him a greeting nod. And then there was Gareth, the stout Dwarve who was sitting in an armchair across Loki.

"Oh. I didn't expect so many people to be here," Godou admitted. "I was kind of hoping this to be a more personal talk."

"Don't be shy." Loki laughed, slapping the seat next to her. "You have to meet the Executive Committee if you want to join the Familia anyway!"

Godou blinked. "I uh...didn't come here today to join your Familia."

There was a mixture of reactions to his short, but frank, statement.

The book in Riveria's hand snapped shut.

Finn let out a giant sigh.

Loki looked genuinely confused.

Gareth unleashed a roar of laughter.

"I told y'all! It wasn't going to be this easy! Haha!"

"You're...not?" Loki asked in disbelief.

Why...why was Godou feeling embarrassed? This wasn't his fault in the slightest! He steeled himself, making sure that he sounded as firm and convinced as possible when he replied, "no, I'm not."

Loki visibly deflated.

Riveria rapped her head. "See? This is what you get for jumping to conclusions. Now you've made us look like fools."

"You're being mean, Riveria!" Loki pouted. "What other reason would Godou have to come visit us?"

"Indeed," Finn said, standing up. "What other reason does Godou have to come visit us?"

Suddenly everybody went back to staring at him.

Godou thought about his next words very carefully. "I need your help in exploring the Deeper Floors of the Dungeon."

"Sure, why not?" Loki's casual reply was almost immediate. "You can join our upcoming expedition. Welcome aboard, Kusanagi Godou!"

Judging by resigned looks on the other's faces, Godou was quite sure they were used to Loki making decisions without consulting them in the slightest.

But he wasn't actually done speaking. Shaking his head, he added, " _alone_."

This time the room fell silent. Even Loki looked unsure of herself.

"That's a tall task," Gareth said thoughtfully. "The Deeper Floors are nothing like the Floors before it. A moment of carelessness means instant death."

Godou knew that. He had asked around. Most adventurers never made it that far. Or if they did, they didn't come back.

"It's also a logistical nightmare," Riveria warned. "It takes days to reach it. At the very least, you'll need a supporter to help carry supplies. But then getting a supporter willing to follow you into the Deeper Floors is a challenge by itself."

Godou wasn't worried about that. He'd somehow managed to survive more than a week in the Dungeon before, and he was certain he could do it again.

"More importantly, I'm curious about something." Finn's eyes had a sharp edge to them. "If you're going alone, what do you need our help for?"

Godou realized Loki had chosen to stay quiet. The goddess was staring at him with an indecipherable emotion, leaving the questions to her adventurers, who had far more experience in the Dungeon than her.

"A map," he said. "I need to know how to go down. And more importantly, how to get back up."

Riveria shook her head. "A map isn't enough. The place is constantly changing, what with all the monsters and traps that keep popping out of nowhere. Furthermore, our maps aren't very detailed. We've got the entrances and exits marked out, but that's about it."

Godou shrugged. "That's all I need."

"Confident, aren't we?" Gareth smirked.

"I can handle myself," Godou said self-assuredly.

"So I've heard," the Dwarve replied.

"It's dangerous," Finn interjected. "I don't like the idea of someone going so deep all by themselves, even if that someone is you. I don't support this."

"It's alright," Godou said, not backing down. "There's no need for you to be concern. I'm not part of your Familia anyway."

"True," Finn conceded. "But if giving you a map empowers you to make such reckless decisions, then I'm afraid that our Familia is involved either way."

"Oi Finn," Gareth said, sounding slightly annoyed. "You missed out the part where you say we're fellow adventurers, and it's our jobs to look out for each other. And add on something about the value of life."

Godou hid his smile. He'd always liked people that could diffuse a tense situation with a witty quip. But this was for their own good. "I'll go down there even without a map. But preferably, I'd like to have one on hand. If I end up never returning, would you really be okay with your decision?"

The narrowing of Finn's eyes told Godou he'd hit a sore spot. It had been a lie of course. Godou had no desire to get lost dozens of floors beneath the ground. The Loki Familia was comprised of good people, and Godou felt terrible about being dishonest, and taking advantage of their good hearts like that.

"Perhaps we might be willing to assist you," Riveria said, "if you explain to us why you're so averse to joining our expedition. It doesn't mean you have to join our Familia. We have lots of outsiders involved in the upcoming one."

Godou bit his lip. He'd prepared for this as well, but there was a limit to how much he could say without giving anything away.

"It'll be more dangerous for you guys if I'm around," he finally confessed. "I have a feeling that I'm somehow connected to all the weird things that have been going on in the Dungeon lately. Like that Black Goliath that spawned. It was after me. I can't afford to put other people at risk like that. Especially not in the Deeper Floors."

"We can take care of ourselves just fine," Gareth said.

"But there's a chance-" Godou quickly said, but Riveria quickly interrupted him.

"There's _always_ a chance."

Finn nodded in agreement. "Riveria is correct. There's always a chance of things going wrong in the Dungeon. We call ourselves adventurers because we face the unknown every day. The Dungeon is filled with uncertainties. But if there's anything I've learned in all my years there, it's that bigger numbers allow us to deal with those uncertainties better."

Godou felt frustrated. He hated it when his opponent's arguments were logical. They didn't understand though. He was a Campione. Accidents and misfortune clung to him like a plague. He liked Loki and her Familia, and he didn't want anything bad to happen to them because of him.

"Then I guess I'll be going in there without a map then," he lied.

He'd try with Freya first. He had a feeling the goddess would entertain his request, though there certainly would be strings attached.

"You're being reckless," Riveria scolded.

"She's right. Lots of adventurers have died because of overconfidence," Gareth added. "I don't want you, or anyone else, joining that list."

Godou felt touched. He really did. It was nice that all these people cared about him, despite barely knowing him. But he cared about them too, so he was going to make sure nothing happened to them.

"I'll be fine," he insisted. "I've gone through worse."

And he was pretty sure he had.

The tension in the room grew thicker, to the point that Godou was certain he could call for Lancelot and actually cut it into two.

"I've made up my mind."

Godou was almost startled when Loki spoke. He'd forgotten she was in the room.

Despite being a God, despite having bright red hair and sitting right in front of him, Loki had somehow managed to completely erase her presence from the room up until that point. She'd been silently observing the conversation, and Godou knew that her eons-old mind had considered everybody's point of view.

Loki stood up and walked up to him. The rest of her Familia seemed to relax a bit. So they did trust her decision-making ability.

"You helped us out before," she began. "So I guess we owe you one-"

Godou didn't particularly relish in the scowls that appeared on the others' faces.

"-but sending you to your death isn't really how I want to pay you back."

This time, Godou was the one scowling.

Loki's sly grin immediately put him on edge. "Unless you can _prove_ to me that we won't be dying there."

An unsettling feeling started to grow within him. "You mean a test," he said.

Loki nodded. "A challenge between you and someone from my Familia. If you win, you get your map. If you lose, you'll thinking nothing more about exploring the Dungeon by yourself, _and_ you'll join our upcoming expedition. Deal?"

So this was Loki's plan, Godou realized. He should have known. Him joining the expedition had never been her end-goal. Godou knew exactly what Loki was after instead.

Information.

She'd been pestering him non-stop about his abilities and past. Pitting him against someone like Finn, her Familia's strongest, was the perfect way to observe his Authorities. Still though, it was going to be her loss. Godou had countless aces up his sleeves, and he was certain he wouldn't need more than one or two to defeat anyone in the Familia. It was a small price to pay, and it would satisfy Loki's curiosity for the short-term.

"Deal," he agreed.

The looks of disapproval on the adventurer's faces was in direct contrast to Loki's bright smile. It looked like today's choice might actually end up as a win for him.

"Great!" Loki said. Then in an almost-predatory manner, she placed a hand on his shoulder. "I've decided. Your opponent will be..." She trailed off, as if she hadn't actually decided yet.

His eyes darted around the room, sizing up his possible foes.

Finn. Famous for his skill with the spear and unparalleled tactical thinking.

Riveria. Feared for her prowess in magical combat and unrivaled understanding of the arcane arts.

Gareth. Renowned for his tenacity and ferocity in battle, striking all who stood in his way with his battleaxe.

Or perhaps it was Ais, the famed prodigy who achieved the fastest Level-Up Record, Loki's personal favorite.

The grip on his shoulder tightened, and Godou looked back to Loki, who wore a fox-like expression of cunning and slyness as she opened her mouth.

" _Me_."

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

"A drinking competition," Godou repeated in disbelief.

"That's right!" Loki said happily. "I keep asking you to, but you've never had a drink with me! As a lady, it hurts, you know?"

Godou pressed both palms into face. This...this couldn't be happening. Loki's way of settling a feud...was a _drinking challenge_?

The looks of defeat and exasperation on her Familia's face did little to comfort him.

"I don't know why I expected anything else," Finn said morosely. "All you do is play around and drink, anyway. Why would you take this situation any more seriously than the ones before?"

Godou knew that this was certainly advantageous to him. His Campione body was naturally resistant to foreign influences, including alcohol, and his inability to never get drunk was something he was quite proud of. Yet, despite having victory almost assured, he felt bad for Loki's adventurers.

"Oi, that's exactly why!" Loki thumped her chest. "I'm the master at drinking! There's no one here that can beat me!" Then she suddenly snickered. "And I bet Godou's a little cherry boy who's never tasted a sip of alcohol in his life."

"I have," Godou refuted. "I just don't like the taste."

Riveria sighed. "I'll get the booze."

"Stop right there, Mommy!" Loki held out a hand.

Godou felt an eyebrow rise. _Mommy?_ Just what kind of relationship did Loki have with her Familia? Then again, considering both Loki's and Riveria's personalities, it wasn't _that_ surprising.

"We won't be using that cheap swill for something so serious!" Loki declared with a smug smile. "We'll be using my _private collection_!"

" _Loki_." Riveria's tone was far beyond ominous, causing Godou to instantly stiffen. "Have you been buying alcohol without our permission _again_?"

"Huh?" Loki said, looking confused. She wasn't the only one, because Godou found himself trying to understand the situation as well.

Finn groaned. "Loki, not _this_ again. You know the last time this happened, you set back our finances by a whole month!"

"Wait, no!" Loki quickly tried to defend herself, but Gareth shook his head and cleared his throat.

"I'm disappointed, Loki. I can't believe you've been hiding the _good stuff_ from _me_. I thought we had an understanding."

Godou wasn't sure how the power dynamic worked in the Loki Familia, but after watching this particularly short exchange, he found himself mystified as to how the Familia could even function at all.

"You're all wrong!" Loki vehemently denied. "I've had it since a long time ago! It's really hard to come by, so I've been saving it for a _really special_ occasion!"

The looks of skepticism on everyone's faces spurred Loki into action. She bounced off the sofa and ran to the wall.

"It's somewhere here," she mumbled to herself, tapping it as she shuffled along its length.

 _Click_.

"Aha!" Loki cheered as a small hidden compartment was revealed.

"W-what?" Finn sputtered out. "We've been using this room for _years_."

"I know," Loki said, pulling out a wrapped package and cradling it in her arms like it was a newborn baby. "You have no idea how worried I was that one of you guys might find this and drink it."

"Selfish," Gareth grumbled.

Despite the mood, Godou was actually starting to feel nervous. Just what was this special booze, and why would Loki waste it over something as trivial as this challenge?

Loki unwrapped it and displayed the wine jar on the table for all to see.

It was nondescript and generic-looking, almost identical to the jars the Hostess used, barring the crest engraved on the side, which Godou didn't recognize.

Riveria looked almost disturbed. "Is that... _Soma_?"

"The highest grade," Loki boasted.

Gouda felt a little regretful that he hadn't paid attention to Erica whenever she talked about drinks. He knew there existed all kinds of alcohol, but he'd never heard of Soma before. Whatever it was, going by everyone's looks of awe, it had to be quite extraordinary.

"Where...where did you get your hands on that?" Gareth asked, already beginning to drool.

"Let's just say I cashed in a couple of favors from my time in Heaven," Loki said playfully.

Now Godou felt a little bit guilty. "Are you sure you want to use it now? Is this challenge that big a deal?"

Loki scratched her cheek and turned slightly red. "Well..." she said, embarrassed, "think of it as my way of thanking you. You saved Ais, and if I'd lost her that day, I definitely would have chugged this whole thing down. So, I figured it would be acceptable for me to break it open for this."

"Oh," was Godou's eloquent response. "Guilting me isn't going to work, by the way," he added as an afterthought. "Though I must point out that you might be wasting your precious drink on me. I can't get drunk, and I probably won't appreciate the taste."

Loki grinned. "Let's see about that. This is the best wine in the whole world, you know?"

Godou felt doubtful. That was subjective, wasn't it?

Finn, on the other hand, looked quite displeased. "I realize that if we sold this...we could probably fund our Familia for a year from the earnings."

Godou felt his jaw drop. This regular-sized jar of alcohol was worth so much?

"Never!" Loki hissed, hugging it. "It's mine!"

"I have cups here," Riveria said, putting down a pair of teacups on the table.

Was it alright to drink such high-quality alcohol from teacups? He was certain Ena and Erica would never stand for such a travesty. But personally, Godou didn't really care, and it appeared neither did Loki.

A gluttonous expression appeared on her face ad she poured the wine into the cups.

Hmmm...was wine supposed to sparkle like that?

Hesitantly, Godou picked up his cup while Loki brought hers to her nose and sniffed it. She let out a blissful sigh.

"Let's take turns sipping it. To savor the taste," she proposed.

Godou didn't mind. It was _her_ wine, so he'd do what she wanted to do with it. It also felt wasteful to down it in one go.

Loki went first. Her lips made brief contact with the wind and the change was almost immediate. Her face suddenly turned as red as her hair and her whole body seemed to momentarily shiver.

That...that was too fast, wasn't it? Was wine supposed to create such a drastic effect with one tiny sip?

She let out a satisfied breath.

"Your turn."

Godou lifted the cup and observed the peaceful surface of the liquid. He thought he saw something shimmering within his reflection, but it quickly disappeared. He gulped. This was just wine, right? Nothing would go wrong, right? He'd drank before, and this wasn't any different, he wouldn't get drunk, right?

As he brought the cup to his mouth, the last thing he remembered was wondering why it smelled like Yuri's cooking.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 _"Godou, you're back!"_

 _Godou's blood freezes and it almost feels as though he's been stabbed._

 _He recognizes the voice instantly, even though it has been decades since he's last heard it._

 _It's unmistakably Yuri's, and the brown-haired girl is standing before him, an apron over her high school uniform._

 _He resists calling out her name. This isn't possible. Yuri's dead. Chronus' curse ensured it. The accelerated aging was heart-wrenching to watch, and he had stood by her side in the one year she continued to live after that fateful encounter with the time deity._

 _When Yuri died, her hair was all white and frayed, her skin wrinkled and faded, her body shrunken and feeble._

 _So how is it possible that she's standing in front of him right now, looking no different than from the day he first met her? Her brown hair is tied into two pig tails that trail down her shoulders, exactly as he remembers it to be, and the kind smile on her face makes his heart throb with longing._

 _This is a trick, he is sure of it._

 _"Godou? Are you okay?"_

 _Yuri shuffles up to him, a look of concern on her face as she presses her hand against his forehead. "You don't have a fever..." she says, more to herself._

 _She's close. Even her scent is the same, and Godou immediately backs away from the imposter._

 _"Godou, is something wrong?"_

 _"Who...are you?" he asks forcefully._

 _"It's me, Yuri," the girls says gently._

 _He wants to believe her. He really does. But the memory of burying her is still etched into his mind._

 _"No, you're not. Yuri's dead," he says, more to reassure himself than anything else._

 _Yuri flinches where she stands. Her eyes droop a little, but the smile remains as it is._

 _"I guess I am. But I'm still here."_

 _Godou is beyond confused. Where is 'here', anyway? He looks around, wondering why the furniture and the kitchen look so familiar_

 _Impossible, it's his childhood home, but that can't be because it was destroyed during an attack by a Heretic God._

 _"Where...are we?" he asks._

 _Yuri tackles him and envelopes him in a hug._

 _Any urge to resists melts away as her lips press into his._

 _"I don't know...but I don't want to leave."_

 _Godou blinks._

 _Red and gold amidst a sea of green._

 _Erica Blandelli stands right in front of him, a confident smirk on her face as she holds an umbrella._

 _"What are you spacing out for, Godou?"_

 _Godou is speechless._

 _Why is Erica suddenly here, and where did Yuri go?_

 _What happened to his home, and how did he get into...a hedge maze?_

 _"Erica?" he asks, not believing what he's seeing._

 _"What's this, Godou? Can't recognize me? Did I really age that badly when I grew up?"_

 _Godou instinctively shakes his head. Erica's wearing the same red dress as the first time he saw her, though unlike that time in Italy, her hair isn't tied and it goes all the way down to her waist._

 _First Yuri, now Erica?_

 _"Come on Godou. Stop thinking, we don't have much time. Walk with me."_

 _He's stunned when Erica extends a hand out to him, but after a moment, he gingerly accepts it. Her hand feels exactly the same as he remembered, and his fingers rub along the callouses on her palm that formed from years of swordsmanship training._

 _"Did you miss me, Godou?" Erica asks sultrily next to him._

 _He nods. He has no idea what's going on, but he isn't going to question it if it means that he can be with them again._

 _"I missed you a lot," he says._

 _He missed all of them._

 _"That makes me happy to hear, you know?" Erica laughs. And then she sobs._

 _Godou turns to see the tears streaming down her cheeks as she looks up into the sky._

 _"I wish things could've lasted a little longer." Erica sighs._

 _And then she vanishes._

 _Godou blinks._

 _The moment he reopens his eyes, the scenery changes._

 _Liliana sits directly opposite him. Her pale skin seems to reflect the moonlight perfectly, and she looks slightly embarrassed when she catches him staring._

 _"W-what?" she stutters out. "Is there something on my face?"_

 _There actually is, and Godou reaches out to wipe away a bit of sauce that's smeared near her lips._

 _"You look much better now, Lili," he says. Then he makes a big show of putting the finger with the sauce on it into his mouth and licking it clean._

 _Liliana immediately turns as red as a tomato. "What are you doing? That's dirty!"_

 _He can't help but laugh. Teasing Liliana is still as fun as ever._

 _First Yuri._

 _Then Erica._

 _And now, Liliana?_

 _Is he stuck in his memories?_

 _"How have you been, Godou?" Liliana suddenly asks, recovering. "You're not lonely without us, right?"_

 _Godou furrows his eyebrows. His memory is hazy. He knows that the girls are dead, but he can't seem to recall anything else._

 _It's like something is trying to block him, blurring out various images that come to mind._

 _A bar?_

 _Cooking?_

 _Cats?_

 _But those images fill him with warmth. "No, I don't think I am," he replies. Then he gulps. "How about you, Lili? Are you lonely?"_

 _He doesn't like the forlorn smile that's her response._

 _"Ah, that's good to hear. I was worried about you."_ _Liliana raises a wine glass. "Cheers, Godou."_

 _He wants to ask more, but he can see her form already beginning to fade. Quickly, he grabs his own glass and clinks it against hers._

 _They drink._

 _And then all that's left is him sitting alone at the dinner table, the bitter taste of alcohol stuck in his throat._

 _Godou closes his eyes. He already knows what to expect when he reopens them._

 _Seishuuin Ena has a mischievous smile on her face._

 _"So you've saved the best for last," she says, quite pleased._

 _"It's been a while, Ena," Godou says. Images of her bloody body assault his mind over and over again, and Godou does his best to suppress them._

 _"Not for me," the girl says. "I feel like I died only yesterday."_

 _Godou winces. "I'm sorry. I couldn't protect you."_

 _The girl shakes her head. "That's not true. You protected me plenty of times, and I loved you for it. I lived a longer life than I had any right to." She makes a noise of contentment. "I was happy."_

 _"I was happy too," Godou says. "Being with you all made me so happy."_

 _He pulls Ena in for a hug. Her thin arms wrap around him as she tiptoes so her mouth reaches his ears._

 _"How's my partner? Are you two still getting along?" she asks softly._

 _Godou tightens his embrace around her. "We are," he whispers. "But I think we both feel a little bit lonely without you."_

 _He calls for Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi, but the Divine Sword doesn't seem to be contactable right now. He's almost devastated, because he knows the God would have loved to talk to Ena._

 _"Godou?"_

 _"Yes, Ena?"_

 _"Can we just stay like this for a little more?"_

 _"Of course."_

 _Godou's arms are wrapped so tightly around her that they end up slamming into each other when she inevitably disappears._

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

The pounding headache caused Godou to bring a hand to his forehead to massage his temples.

He sat up, his mind still reeling from the incredibly vivid dream. That was...agonizing.

There was a dull pain in his chest, and Godou let out a sigh as he wiped away the tears that were threatening to roll down.

He blinked.

Since when did he sleep in a four-poster bed? And since when was his room so big?

The startling realization that he woke up in someone else's room made Godou gasp. What happened? Why was he feeling like shit? What was up with that disturbing dream? A strange sensation overcame him as he fidgeted in the unfamiliar bed.

It...couldn't be. He took a peek under the cover.

Why was he _naked_?

The memories came flooding back.

Meeting Anakitty.

The Loki Familia.

The drinking competition.

The _Soma_.

Godou cursed loudly.

Of course things would go completely wrong. That was the problem with the Fat-Dress Paradox. The best-case scenario had an almost zero percent chance of happening, and any other result was usually disastrous.

But waking up in a stranger's bed, completely naked?

There was only one person he could blame for this.

"LOKI!" he screamed at the top of his voice.

A soft mumble immediately caused Godou to freeze. On the other side of the bed, something shifted. A moment later, a messy mop of red hair poked out from underneath the covers.

A sleepy-looking Loki rubbed her eyes and peered at him.

"Yes?"

 **XXXXXXXXXXX**

 **A/N: I really had fun writing the first half of this chapter, so you might notice that the style is a little different. Do let me know what you think! Favs and Follows are almost appreciated, let's try to get this fic to 2k Follows and Favs before it's one years old!**

 **As always, do leave a review, and feel free to point out any mistakes you spot!**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Hello guys! BIG KUDOS to ArcMeow (he's on both and SB Forums). We've been exchanging ideas and critiquing each other's work for a while now, and this chapter really turned out great (in my humble opinion) only because of his input. For anyone who likes Danmachi, go and read his work (Go search up munchkin oratoria). Like seriously, it's _way_ better than mine, as is his writing skills. And honestly, this fic was inspired by it. So without him, nobody would be reading this in the first place at all.**

 **Also, impt announcement at the bottom A/N.**

 **Chapter 9: Hangover**

"Yes?" Loki blinked at him blearily.

Godou felt something rising in his throat, but when he opened his mouth, no words came out.

"If that's all, then I'm going back to sleep." Loki closed her eyes and sank beneath the blanket once again.

Again, Godou had no response.

He'd never experienced anything like this before. This must have been the famous memory blackout that Erica always complained about every time she had drunk a little too much. He instinctively winced. And that dream with the girls...was it even a dream?

He thought being drunk would have felt good.

He didn't feel good in the slightest. His head was threatening to split apart. He had an ache in his chest. And he was also naked.

 _Just_ _what exactly was in the_ _Soma_?

The soft snore from beside him immediately elicited an annoyed click from his tongue. He tore the blanket away from Loki.

Mid-action, a thought hit him.

If he was naked, wasn't there a chance that Loki was too?

The awfully mundane striped pajamas she was wearing brought untold amounts of relief to his soul.

"OI! WHAT THE HELL?!"

The redheaded sat up with a jerk and snarled at him. But then he caught her eyes trailing down to where his exposed torso stuck out from the blanket.

"The morning-after glow suits you," she said with a smirk, her eyes finally meeting his again.

Godou shuddered.

But then he forced himself to look serious, narrowing his eyebrows. He had a whole barrage of questions just waiting to be asked, but this was probably the most important one.

"Nothing happened...right?"

For a few moments, Loki did nothing but stare at him.

"You think I'm easy," she accused.

"No, I think you sexually assaulted me," Godou said matter-of-factly.

"What?" Loki made a disgusted face. "Ew. Why would I do that? The one I like is Aiz."

Godou shelved that disturbing piece of information somewhere in the deepest recesses of his mind. "Then why am I naked?" he asked.

Loki blinked.

Then before he could react, she lifted the blanket and took a peek underneath.

"You're _naked_ ," she said, sounding surprised.

"Yes," Godou drawled out, letting out an annoyed huff at the goddess' audacity. "I think I mentioned that."

"Why are you _naked_ in _my_ bed?" Loki asked accusingly.

Godou frowned, trying to contain his irritation. "That's what I'm asking. What happened?"

She tapped her chin in contemplation. "I only remember taking off your shirt..." she mumbled.

Godou's eye twitched.

"And everyone was there too. I don't think they would have let me strip you like that," she continued, completely oblivious to the way his fists were tightening. "...and I definitely remember that you were wearing pants when I was dragging you across the floor to my room..."

Was...was that why his back felt so itchy?!

"Shit, I was pretty drunk too...what happened after that?..." Then her eyes widened in realization. A soft " _oh_ " escaped her lips.

"What?"

Loki looked troubled. She was biting her lips. "I remember why you're naked now."

Godou waited patiently for her to continue, but instead Loki looked like she was trying hard not to laugh. He glared at her, and her cheeks puffed out as she averted his eyes.

"Loki. Why am I naked? And where are my clothes?"

"They're..." she made a noise that was somewhere between a giggle and a snort. " _Drying_."

He could feel his eyebrows scrunching together. "And why were they wet in the first place?"

Loki couldn't hold it in anymore. She let out a giggle, which exploded into unadulterated laughter. It wasn't long before she'd managed to roll off the bed and was on the ground, clutching her stomach as her shrill "haha"s and "teehee"s filled the room.

Godou felt his headache get even worse.

He had half a mind to just get up and slap some sense into her, but he was still _very_ naked. Until Loki gave him back his clothes, he wasn't going anywhere. Not unless he wanted to be accused of sexual harassment. He hadn't managed to meet everyone, but Godou was acutely aware of the skewed gender ratio in Loki's Familia. The jury would be against him from the very start.

"You done?" he asked sardonically when Loki climbed back onto the bed, her face flushed.

Loki looked at him straight in the eye and nodded.

Then she burst into laughter again.

It took a whole other minute for her to calm down for real.

"Okay," she said, still heaving and panting. "I'm done."

"So? Why am I naked?" he asked.

If she was laughing that much, then clearly his worst fears were off the table. He didn't want to brag, but his complex and tumultuous romantic history meant that he was pretty experienced in pleasing women, and not in the way that would have them laughing in tears.

"Are you sure you want to know?" Loki asked teasingly. "Some things are better left unheard."

There wasn't an ounce of hesitation in Godou's reply. "Tell me."

Loki took a deep breath, trying hard to suppress her grin.

"You..." She giggled again. " _You pissed yourself_."

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 _Alcohol is a sin_ , _alcohol is a sin, alcohol is a sin_ , Godou repeated the mantra in his head over and over again as he put on the bathrobe Loki had graciously lent to him. Speaking of the redheaded goddess, he could still hear her guffawing and giggling through the bathroom door.

"Stop being so shy, Godou!" she called out. "Who do you think stripped you last night? I'm a God, you know? You ain't got anything I haven't seen before!"

She had a point, but Godou was set on maintaining what little dignity and modesty he had left. When he opened the door, his skin properly covered, Loki let out a disappointed huff.

"I rather quite like that bathrobe, so I'm going to borrow some clothes for you to wear."

"Thanks."

"Is there anything you prefer? Skirts or dresses?"

"I'm fine with anythi-" Godou stopped.

Loki shrugged and walked away. "Alright, I'll ask Riveria for one of her-"

He immediately grabbed Loki's shoulder, halting her in her tracks. "What do you mean, _skirts or dresses?_ "

The Goddess gave him a blank expression. "You've seen my Familia right? We're mostly girls here. And you're too big for Finn's clothes, and too skinny for Gareth's. What else do you want me to do? Don't worry, Riveria's got plenty of robes that'll look good on men too. At least I think she does..." she seemed to consider it for moment. "You might find the chest bit a little loose though. Riveria's got pretty big boobs."

Horror sunk into Godou as he thought over her words. Loki was right.

And judging from the playful smile spreading across her face, she knew it. She tip-toed upwards and patted his head. "So don't you worry a li'l thing okay, Godou? Mama Loki's gonna find some pretty clothes for you!"

 _Think, Godou think!_

He was a Godslayer. Someone who, through cunning and tenacity, had faced the impossible and emerged victorious. There was a way out of this, there always was!

And he would find it.

Loki slipped out from his grasp. "Wait here, okay?" She looked far too happy for Godou's comfort. "I'll be _right back_."

 _Think._

Every single member of the Loki Familia he'd interacted with... there had to be at least one male member similar in size to him. Someone he'd talked to, or cooked for, or even fought with-

"Stop," he commanded, grabbing Loki's hand before she could leave. "Bete Loga. Give me his clothes."

The immediate scowl on Loki's face confirmed his suspicions. The wench had known all along. She clicked her tongue. "Fine."

When she left, Godou still found himself feeling unsatisfied.

It was a victory, but merely a Cadmean one.

After all, he'd lost the drinking challenge in the end, hadn't he?

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 _Welcome to the Loki Familia,_ read the big banner draped across the room. And in extremely tiny words that required Godou to squint, someone had messily scribbled, _'_ _s Expedition_.

He sighed. So it'd come down to this. Everybody from last night was present today, with the addition of Aiz, who looked completely unfazed on the sofa despite having Loki basically straddling her.

"Well then. Let's begin the first strategy meeting!" Loki declared after he'd entered.

"Wait," he said, eyeing everybody in the room. The atmosphere was far more tense than yesterday. Stacks of documents and diagrams were sprawled across the coffee table as Finn, Gareth, and Riveria poured over them. "Before we start, I need to ask a question."

Loki's head bobbled up and down in approval. '"That's exactly what strategy meetings are for, Godou! Ask ahead!"

"Just what exactly _is_ Soma? It's no ordinary wine, is it?"

His accusation hung in the air as the executives of the team shared an uneasy look.

"It _is_ wine," Riveria stated, sitting a little straighter. "But a wine made by a God."

Wait a minute...

"It's named after its creator, Soma," Finn added. "He's the only who knows how to make divine wine through mortal means."

Divine...wine?

"In other words," Loki said, "it's wine made by a God _for_ Gods. Pure Soma was never meant to be tasted by mortal tongues."

Well that explained everything. "And yet, you fed it to _me_." No wonder it had affected him so badly. His natural immunity to external influences didn't really cover anything that crossed the threshold into Divine-class.

"And yet, here you stand, angry and defiant, instead of a blubbering mess begging for another sip," Loki said, finally getting off of Aiz. Her eyes narrowed. "I wasn't lying when I said that this meeting was for asking questions." A sly tone was mixed into her voice. "And boy, do I have a lot of them, Kusanagi Godou."

He gulped. "I thought the meeting was about the expedition," Godou said pointedly.

"It is. Let's start with you, Godou. After all, you're officially part of the expedition now, aren't you?" Loki asked expectantly.

Reluctantly, Godou forced his shoulders to relax. He'd made a promise, and he wasn't the type to go back on his word. As much as he hated it, Loki's underhanded tactics hadn't been a breach of their agreement. He sat down at the nearest available seat.

"I'm assuming you have your suspicions," he said.

Around him, everyone nodded their heads.

"And we confirmed them yesterday," Loki reported.

"While I was passed out," Godou guessed.

"While you were passed out," Finn confirmed.

"So? What did you find out?" he asked. If anything, he would like this conversation to be as frank and candid as possible.

"No Falna," Aiz said, staring at him intently. "You have no Falna."

"No, I don't," Godou agreed, fidgeting slightly. The girl's eyes looked so devoid of emotions that he found them almost intimidating.

"Which means you were born with your abilities," Riveria said.

"No," he disagreed. "I _acquired_ them afterwards. I was born a regular human."

Finn made a noise. "I find that hard to believe. But I will believe it for now."

"But you're not human anymore, are you, lad?" Gareth asked, almost uncertainly.

Godou hesitated. "No, not completely," he admitted.

"Divinity," Loki suddenly interjected. "You have divinity within you."

Ah. Finally, the bombshell was dropped. His mind considered a myriad of possibilities in a flurry. Lying was always an option, but it wouldn't sit well with him. He had always been an honest person, and he'd only tell a lie in order to protect someone else. But that didn't include himself. Half-truths and evading the question, on the other hand, were always on the table.

"How did you know?"

"It'd be pretty hard not to notice after spending a whole night sleeping next to you," Loki said. "But it was faint," she added softly, "it felt buried, or perhaps diluted. I would even go so far to say it felt _tainted_. I just never noticed it until now. But I've always suspected since the others told me about the Black Goliath."

Was that how Gods felt towards Campiones? His Authorities had never belonged to him in the first place, so it was only natural that their essences would be slightly altered in his possession. It always seemed that Heretic Gods knew just where to find him despite his efforts to remain hidden. So this was how.

"Divinity..." Riveria repeated in disbelief. "What does that even mean? How can a mortal have divinity within them?"

"They can't," Loki said, shaking her head. "Otherwise, we can't consider them as mortals."

"Kusanagi Godou." Finn used one hand to support his head, which was now hanging dangerously low. "How old are you?"

"About five centuries. Give or take a few decades." Honestly, he'd stopped counting a long time ago.

Their surprise was audible.

"Does that mean..." Gareth stoked his beard, sounding rather uncertain of himself. "That you're a God?"

"No."

Both Loki and Godou had said it simultaneously, and the end result had them both looking at each other. Loki looked as serious as Godou had ever seen her, and the troubled look on her face caused a knot of worry to form in his gut. Things were never going to be the same again now, were they?

Coughing into her fist, Loki cleared her throat. "He's not a God. There's no mistake about that. But as for what he _actually_ is, I can't say. It's not something that should exist in this world, is it now?"

Godou recalled the conversation he had had with Loki what seemed like an eternity ago, where she'd revealed her knowledge that he'd actually come from another world. Briefly, he wondered if she'd ever shared that knowledge with the others. Well, if she hadn't, then Godou wasn't going to do it for her.

"No, it's not," he agreed. "I suppose you can call me an anomaly of sorts."

Finn looked as if he'd suddenly remembered something important. "Campione. That's what the monster tamer called you back then."

Godou flinched. "I have been called that in the past."

"And what does it actually mean?" Riveria asked.

"It translates into the word _Champion_ ," he informed them.

Only the goddess had a visible reaction to that word.

"I have heard rumors," Loki recalled worryingly, "a long time ago. Back when monsters weren't chained to the Dungeon and roamed the land in hordes, razing civilizations and decimating whole continents. When mortals were not yet given Falnas and had to rely on their own strength to defend themselves. They were not strong enough to turn the tide, not even with the aid of the spirits. This was a time when sentient life as a whole was on the brink of extinction and the Gods were desperate to do _anything_ protect them."

"There was a time like that?" Aiz interrupted, completely taken aback.

Godou was surprised as well. This world didn't seem to have such a dark backstory.

Loki nodded. "Far beyond mortal memory. I recall being brought into existence during those tumultuous times, and I was so overburdened with my new responsibilities that I cannot remember much. But I remember hearing whispers of Gods performing the forbidden."

"Using your Arcana in the mortal world?" Gareth ventured.

"Worse," Loki said. "Forbidden soul magic that involved cleaving away a part of their essences and imparting it to mortals."

"That's dangerous!" Riveria immediately sputtered out. "Divine energy is too potent and volatile to be properly contained in a mortal vessel. They'll die!"

"Precisely why it was forbidden," Loki agreed. "But we Gods were desperate. Mortal-kind wasn't strong enough. You do not understand the magnitude of the foe they faced. Dragons, in the thousands, would darken the sky, and their combined breath could turn a rainforest into glassland in mere minutes. Herds of monsters would surround the last bastions of mortal civilization, suffocating them before snuffing the life out of them. And the sea? It was a death trap. There were leviathans that could encircle whole countries that ruled the oceans."

Godou found himself absorbed into Loki's stories. Perhaps it was because he was a Campione, and the divinity they shared allowed him to momentarily peek into Loki's mind through her eyes. He saw fires dancing within as human-shaped silhouettes ran away from it, only to be snapped up in the talons of flying monsters. The tears in her eyes formed an ocean, and he watched an entire ship get snapped into half when a serpent rose from the depths and smashed into it. And deep within her pupils, he saw an entire world crumbling into darkness.

He shook himself out of it. Everybody else remained transfixed by Loki's story, sitting on the edge of their seats. This was the wisdom and knowledge of a God being displayed in its purest form.

"Drastic actions needed to be taken. I don't know who, but a few Gods began to do just that. They found the mightiest heroes, and split a fraction of their divine power and essence with them. It was reckless and dangerous, and I'm certain that many of those heroes simply couldn't take it and died on the spot. But it was exactly what we needed, because those blessed few who survived had their fighting potential magnified exponentially. It's not far fetched to say that they single-handedly won us the war in the end. I don't think anybody will ever admit it, but I believe that is where the idea of the Falna first originated from."

Loki suddenly let out a deep breath, marking the end of the story.

Something about the whole thing bothered Godou.

"Those heroes," Godou asked. "What ever happened to them in the end?"

"Nobody knows," Loki said. "They disappeared as mysteriously as they appeared. Remember, this was forbidden, so no God actually stepped forward to acknowledge their existence. But there is one thing that I do know for sure. Those heroes...we called them _Champions_."

And just like that, everyone was staring at him again.

"In other words," Finn said slowly, "Godou is part-God."

"I believe that a similar process was involved in how you acquired your abilities," Loki postulated. "But I don't think you're ever going to tell us the truth."

"No, I'd prefer not to," he confessed. It was bad enough that they'd discovered that he had divinity in him. Adding the revelation that he became part-God by _killing_ them wasn't going to be doing anyone any favors. "But you aren't wrong in saying that part of a God's divinity resides within me."

He saw Riveria open her mouth. At first he thought she was going to say something, but the lack of any sound at all made him realized she'd simply unhinged it from shock.

"Who?" Loki's question might have been phrased as one, but it came out nearly as a demand.

"I'd rather not say," Godou said.

The rest looked at each other. They still had disbelief etched into their faces. But they very quickly overcame it.

"Godou," Finn said, his tone becoming much more gently than before. "You're part of the Expedition now."

"Yes." That was going to be a problem after this, wasn't it?

"That means we're a team," Riveria said. "And while we all have our own secrets, being in a team means knowing each other's capabilities. I know you like your privacy, but we can't know _nothing_."

"We need to know what you can handle, and what you can't," Gareth added. "If not, not just your own, but other people's lives will be at risk."

"You guys don't have to worry about me," he declared. "I can take care of myself. Just focus all your efforts on your own Familia. I'll help as much as I can as well."

"You saying it isn't going to make me believe it, Godou," Loki said solemnly. "I need proof. You were right by the way. Yesterday, when you said that your presence was going to make things more difficult, I now see what you mean. The Dungeon hates anything divine. It'll go all out to destroy you."

If that was the case, then why the hell was he still part of her expedition?

"It's not too late to kick me out," Godou said. "I don't mind if you back out of the deal. Just give me the map I want, and I'll be out of your hair."

To her credit, Loki seemed to consider it. But then her face hardened again. "No. Learning the truth has only made me realize that I don't want you going in alone. In fact, I don't want you going into the Dungeon at all. There's a reason why Gods are banned from entering, and the same rule should apply to you. But I know I can't stop you. So, I'm going to _help_ you."

Why was she being so. Goddamned. Stubborn?

"I'll be putting their lives in danger," Godou said, tilting his heads toward her Familia.

"Exactly."

Godou blinked in surprise at Loki's curt response.

She shook her head. "I don't understand what's going on. You're a hazard. By all means, you shouldn't even _exist_. Your very presence in the Dungeon might trigger the appearance of a foe even _my_ Familia will not be able to handle. And if they do die, I will know _exactly_ whose fault it is."

Confusion. Nervousness. Anger. He felt all of it. "Then what are you doing all this for? Just give me the map and let me go by myself. I won't die, I _promise_ you."

And he never went back on his word.

"No." He saw her grit her teeth, almost fighting to keep the next words in her mouth. " _I can't_."

" _Why_?"

"Because I want you."

Godou had heard her say those words countless times now. But something felt different this one time. Loki had never hidden her desire for him to join her Familia. But neither had she fully exposed herself in expressing it.

Until now, at least.

Her voice had quivered just slightly. Her eyes bore so deeply into his own that he forced himself to look away. Within those four words, Godou had felt Loki's entire essence and being poured into it.

 _I want you_.

Something in Godou stirred. He gulped, repressing whatever it was.

He felt his face soften. "No, you don't."

She knew nothing about him. He was a Campione. A Godslayer. They were natural enemies. He had killed Gods who were basically her family. His existence was a threat to hers. Things would never be the same the moment she found out.

"I do," she insisted. "I've never been more sure of anything else in a long time. And I know that letting you do this alone is the first step to losing you."

He didn't understand. Why Loki so obsessed with him? Was it because of some innate attribute of being a Campione? If that was the case, then that was even more reason to distance himself away from her.

"You doubt me." She hadn't said it as an accusation, but a statement.

Godou did not reply. He did not know how to. He did not doubt her sincerity. He just couldn't accept it.

"Things won't end at the Fifty-Ninth Floor, you know? You might find more answers, but it won't be enough. You'll need to go deeper. Nobody knows how far the Dungeon goes, and nobody knows what lies at the bottom. Not even us Gods."

He knew all this of course. But he would have preferred if Loki had left it unsaid.

"I told you before, right? That the Gods have no control over the Dungeon. We can use our power to suppress it, but ultimately, it exists as a separate entity from our domain. Do you know what that means?"

He did. He had understood it the moment he realized he had been brought into this world against his will.

"It means that there exists something in it just as powerful as the Gods, or perhaps even more."

He said nothing. Judging from the grim expressions on everybody's faces, everyone knew this to some extent already.

"A monstrous entity like that...even you will not be able to face it, Godou."

She did not understand. Such a monstrous entity was already standing right before her.

"And your Familia can?" he asked.

Loki flinched. He had meant for the question to sting, but seeing everyone's souring expressions made him regret it a little.

"There is strength in numbers," Loki said softly. "They will only become stronger. And who is to say they will be alone? The upcoming expedition is a joint expedition between us and the Hephaestus Familia. Depending on how it works out, we could soon be joining forces with _all_ of Orario's top Familias."

"That will take too long," he said.

"And why are you in such a rush?"

He hesitated. The answer was simple. Because he could not allow another Campione to come into this world. Everything he was doing now, he was doing to protect them.

Unfortunately, Loki mistook his silence for something else.

"Do you really hate this place so much?"

"No!" he immediately said. "Not at all. I like it. I really do. The people. The city." He smiled at Loki. "The Gods."

She didn't return his smile. "Your actions don't match your words, Kusanagi Godou."

No, he supposed they didn't. But that was because his words couldn't tell the whole story either.

"But don't worry, I'll change your mind." The Goddess stuck out a thumb, but the grin on her face looked forced. "You're coming onto this expedition whether you like it or not. And by the end of it, I guarantee you that you'll want to go onto another one."

He wondered how Gods could remain so optimistic even after existing for more than a thousand years. He'd barely lived half of that and he saw little reason to continue any further.

"Your Familia could die," he said, not bothering to mince his words. He wanted Loki to know exactly what kind of choice she was making.

"That's always been a possibility. The Dungeon has never been a safe place, especially once you reach the Deeper Floors."

"You know that's not what I mean."

"I do," Loki said. "But that doesn't make it any less true. You're going with them, and that's that."

So that was that. Her mind was already set. She would not let him back out of this.

"But you will protect them as much as you can, won't you, Kusanagi Godou?"

His reply was instant. "I will." There had never been a single shred of doubt about that. Letting them die would have been the easy way out. He was certain Loki would never speak to him again if he did that. But he did not treat the lives of others as a means to his own ends.

No, he had no problem with protecting them from danger. The problem came from exposing them to the danger in the first place.

"Good. I'm trusting you with them, then," Loki said. A content expression settled over her face.

But he had seen it. For just the briefest of moments, there had been a flash of fear in Loki's eyes.

 _Don't go sending your Familia into danger if you're afraid for them, you idiot._ He simply didn't understand why she was so committed to this. Why she was so goddamned stubborn.

Why couldn't Loki see that he would be fine by himself?

The answer came to him immediately, and he felt like an idiot. With all the effort he'd put into concealing his abilities, obviously Loki would have no idea.

But he couldn't go spilling all his secrets either. He had dozens of Authorities at his disposal, and Loki and the rest only thought he had _one_. He needed a way to demonstrate what he was capable of...without actually demonstrating what he was capable of.

A myriad of thoughts and ideas fought and argued over each other in his head, each proclaiming themselves as the right answer.

 _'She looks down on you because she thinks that because you are part-human part-God, you are in between a human and a God.'_

And just like that, the answer presented itself, cutting through the cacophony of noise and uncertainty as cleanly as a hot knife through butter.

 _'I will quickly disabuse her of that notion.'_

Despite the situation, Godou grinned slightly. He supposed that was exactly what swords were for in the first place.

 **XXXXXXXXX**

It felt as if the entire room had _hiccuped_. For a single moment, unadulterated power had flooded through the room, and his neck had tightened from the suffocating pressure. And as sudden as it came, the odd sensation vanished.

 **"At long last, we can talk, Goddess of Tricks."**

The entire room seemed to vibrate for a moment, before stilling into an even deeper silence than ever before. The conversation had earlier been completely between Loki and Godou, so when the unannounced voice spoke, nobody had known how to react.

Finn Deimne knew the voices of every single person in his Familia. The female, gentle, self-assured voice he just heard was definitely not one of them.

His attention remained glued to Kusanagi Godou, the source of every single surprise he'd seen in the past twenty four hours.

The Soma Challenge.

The Part-God revelation.

Loki's brief moment of vulnerability.

And now, an unknown and unseen person talking as though she was everywhere, yet nowhere.

Why should this time be any different?

Godou's eyes seemed to glaze over for a moment.

Finn shot a look at Loki. His goddess had finally changed her posture, sitting up straight, her body tensed as she looked all over the room for the unknown speaker.

"Show yourself," she commanded.

In front of him, Kusanagi Godou frowned.

Finn blinked.

And the next thing he knew, there was a sheathed blade attached to his hip where there hadn't been one before. Something wasn't right. He'd seen Godou's sword back in the Dungeon, and this was a completely different one. And that one had a male voice as well.

Slowly, Godou unsheathed the sword.

Finn had to dart his eyes away from the brilliance that erupted past the weapon's hilt. But even without looking, he knew it was no ordinary blade. As an adventurer, he knew swords could make a variety of sounds. But he didn't know they could _sing_.

It should've been impossible. The sound of metal grating against metal was supposed to be scratchy and sharp. But instead, warmth flooded his body as a soft humming chorus reached his ears. His chest puffed out as he remembered his past triumphs and victories, distant memories drawn out by the alluring song. What kind of sword could sooth the soul so much just by existing?

He forced himself to look at the blinding blade. Now fully drawn to its full length, it _preened_. This was a sword that brought light when there was none, rekindled hope when it was lost, steeled hearts when they wavered. This was a sword that stood at the forefront of an army, it's tip buried into the ground, exuding confidence and glory even against the darkest and most grotesque monsters. This was a sword made not to kill, but to _save_.

Honor. Valor. Loyalty.

This sword belonged to no God, no King, no Hero.

This sword belonged to a Knight.

He stared into its polished sheen. For a moment, he saw himself more clearly than he had ever before in any mirror. A short, blond Pallum that looked no older than a human child. But he wasn't alone. They stood behind him. Hundreds. Thousands. An entire race of them. When he passed them by on the streets, they always looked subdued. Dismayed. Afraid. But here, despite their lack of physical size, Pallums stood tall and proud.

They stood _with_ him.

He had always dreamed of seeing this. And now for this first time, the image existed in front of his eyes, instead of being stuck in his mind. He thought he saw a smile, but the image vanished, and all he could see was the look of longing on his face. _Bring it back_ , he wanted to say.

But then he remembered that he would be talking to a sword.

That's when Kusanagi Godou raised his arms and abruptly stabbed it into the floor.

Finn was about to release a shout; how _dare_ the man treat such a beautiful weapon in such a manner. But the sound of splashing water shut his mouth as he witnessed metal dissolve into a puddle of water, that against all logic, remained a perfect, reflective circle on a carpeted floor.

And then it rippled.

It began to wobble, rising up and giving itself shape. As it slithered up into the air, transparent and fluid water hardened and filled up with color. Liquid turned into unblemished skin, quickly covered by a cloak that appeared from nowhere as the humanoid figure rose from the ground with a grace Finn thought impossible.

Fairy? Dryad? Mythical creatures he'd never seen before came to mind. Such was the sheer ludicrousness of the sight before him.

The newly-formed figure finally reached its full height, just mere centimeters shorter than Godou, a hood covering its face.

"And who are you?" Loki demanded, standing once again.

It was odd. It was rare to see Loki so uptight in front of strangers. Normally, she either teased them or welcomed them with open arms. Then again, this situation could hardly be considered normal.

Finally, the unknown person pulled down its hood.

 _Her_ hood.

Long blond hair cascaded past her pale skin and down onto her shoulders. Hardened, grey eyes drilled into his own, and Finn instinctively took a step back. A sharp nose was pointed upwards as the rosy pink lips beneath it pressed themselves into a thin line.

She looked beautiful even as she turned away to face Godou.

 **"So these are who you have chosen to sit at your Table this time round? They are a much more diverse group of replacements, at least."**

But her voice rattled him. Hearing it alone had given him the urge sit straighter. Power leaked from her words, and Finn could have swore he felt the chair he was sitting in vibrate ever so slightly when she'd opened her mouth. If the earlier display hadn't been enough, hearing her talk confirmed his suspicions that this was no normal woman. Normal people did not shake the room when they spoke. Normal people could not command his attention just by talking.

"What are you talking about? Nobody's sitting anywhere," Godou said, as if everything going on around him was normal. "And nobody's replacing anybody."

Finn heard the girl make a thoughtful sound. And then she stalked up to him, and he leaned back from how close she was. He thought he was used to being up close to girls. Tiona and Tione did not understand the concept of 'personal space'. But this woman was so beautiful and otherworldly in appearance it was downright intimidating.

And that was before she sniffed him.

 **"This one reeks of a heavy burden and crushed dreams. One who desires a throne themself should never seek to serve another."**

Finn flinched. That hit a little closer to home than he'd like to admit.

But the girl had moved on the Riveria, the Elf shying away as the still-unidentified girl stuck her nose towards her.

 **"Diligent. Firm. Kind."** The girl smiled. **"A fine Knight indeed."**

Gareth was next.

 **"All I can smell is alcohol and heart,"** the girl said distastefully. **"Every court will need its jester, though I suppose making everyone smile is a challenge of its own."**

While Gareth didn't seem to look particularly offended, Finn felt his thumb twitch excitedly. Just who was this sword-turned-woman?

 **"This one."** The girl stopped in front of Aiz. She grabbed one of Aiz's hands and studied it, before turning back to Godou. **"I like this one."**

Godou rolled his eyes, and Finn wished that the chef-slash-part-God would actually introduce his companion instead already.

 **"And Loki herself, goddess of Tricksters, right in the flesh."**

And then Finn realized that he'd been so caught up with the unknown woman that he'd completely forgotten about Loki. The redhead was as tense as he'd ever seen her, her skin paling as her eyes widened as the visitor continued to walk towards her.

"You're...you're Divine," she uttered out. "Completely Divine."

 **"You seem surprised. Why is that?"** The girl tilted her head.

"Because that means you're a God," Loki said. "And I don't recognize you."

Finn felt his blood stop flowing for a moment.

A God? No way. Impossible. He looked towards Godou, who looked somewhere caught between annoyance and acceptance. This man had literally pulled out a goddess from his pants? Was this what he meant by being-part God?

No. That was unthinkable.

He faced Riveria. She was much more knowledgeable about the Arcane Arts. If there was any kind of mortal magic involved here, she would know.

Her face had gone as white as a sheet.

The woman let out an amused chuckle. **"A God. It has been a very long time since someone called me that."**

Finn felt out of place. This was starting to sound like a conversation mortals were not supposed to be listening to.

Loki's eyes narrowed. "Oh? So what do they call you?"

 **"A Knight,"** the woman said. She paused. Her lips twitched slightly. **"But for now, Lancelot should suffice."**

Lancelot.

Names had power. Finn knew, almost by instinct, that her name was a story in by itself. Power was born from tales and myths, and Finn made a mistake of looking into her eyes when he softly repeated her name to himself.

" _Lancelot._ "

 _A child weeps at the edge of the water. Two freshly dug graves lie nearby._

 _The water ripples._

 _The child looks up._

 _From beneath the surface of the lake, an inhumanly gorgeous woman walks out, until she is standing in front of the child, a kind, yet forlorn, smile on her face._

 _She stretches out a hand._

 _The child takes it._

Finn snapped out of his trance. Lancelot was staring at him.

A knowing smile crossed her face, and Finn felt a chill run down his spine.

But the goddess' past had little relevance here. What was more important was the man standing behind her.

Kusanagi Godou looked completely unfazed despite her divine presence. The one who had summoned her in the first place.

Even Loki, a goddess herself, had a troubled expression on her face. A moment later, he learned why.

"Lancelot. That's your Divine Form, isn't it?" Loki asked. "This is your divine essence given corporeal form."

Finn did not know what a Divine Form was. But he had a pretty good guess. Loki was a goddess, but one trapped in a human body. Her powers were limited, and an attempt on her part to access her Arcana carried the risk of her flesh-and-blood body disintegrating. It seemed Lancelot had no such limitation. The God standing before him had complete access to her divine powers.

A terrifying prospect.

 **"This?"** Lancelot gestured to her body. She shook her head. **"This is not my True Form. You saw it earlier. I am a God of Steel. Metal, given voice and soul. A weapon, to be wielded by a King. A Knight, executing the will of my master."**

Finn gulped. So the sword Godou had been holding at first was her true Divine Form? No wonder it had been so mesmerizing.

Loki did not look surprised. At first.

"Wait." She shifted her head slightly, and Finn followed her line of sight and found that it landed on Kusanagi Godou. "What master?"

Lancelot cocked her head. Her lips curled slightly, and if Finn had to describe it, she looked a mix of annoyed and amused.

 **"I am a Knight. And Knights serve a Lord. And,"** her voice grew coy and sultry, **"Kusanagi Godou is the one I have chosen to devote my body and soul to."**

Next to her, Godou slapped his forehead with his palm. "I'm sure that there were better ways to phrase that, Lancelot."

Finn felt his eyebrows rise to his hairline. That...that almost made it sound like-

"You're Godou's _servant_?" Loki sputtered out in disbelief. "But you're a God!"

Finn shuddered when he saw Godou's expression change. What Loki said certainly did sound rude, but...she was right. Lancelot was a God. And God's were not supposed to bow their heads before their own creations.

 **"A Knight,"** Lancelot corrected. **"I am a Knight before I am a God."**

"But still a God, no less," Loki said. "You're not...bound to him, are you? You can...leave whenever you want, right? It's not like he's forcing you to serve him against your will, right?"

Instead of replying, Lancelot turned to Godou, arching a lone eyebrow.

The boy sighed. "I won't stop you, if that's what you're asking."

Lancelot nodded. **"Then, yes."**

Finn blinked. Somehow, he got the feeling that the true answer was the complete opposite.

Loki didn't look fully convinced either. "Why Kusanagi Godou?" she asked. "What's so special about him that could cause a God like you to subjugate yourself to him?"

Lancelot smirked. **"Shouldn't I be asking you that? You just declared you were willing to put your whole Familia in danger just for him. Why is that, Loki?"**

Loki opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

Finn clenched his fist. He wanted to know the answer too. He had kept quiet this whole time, but even he found his goddess' plan to be borderline unreasonable. The Fifty-Ninth Floor was already stretching the limits of their skills, and throwing in a Black monster at that level was an unnecessary risk he didn't want to take.

It was foolhardy. He had worked with Loki for a long time now. He knew she had many layers. She appeared carefree and mischievous, but a cunning and selfish side was hidden behind that persona. And beneath even that, a strong desire to protect what she loved and to watch them grow and prosper. She was a complicated person, but not once had Finn doubted her sincerity and love for her Familia. It was why he had chosen to stay with her all this time.

And now, Loki was willing to jeopardize all that for the sake of a man who didn't even want to be involved in it. It would have been one thing if Godou was trying to wriggle his way _into_ the expedition, but the man in question was literally pulling out all the stops to get _out of it_. Including summoning a goddess of his own, apparently.

And for that, Finn could not bring himself to blame him for Loki's erratic behavior. Godou didn't want any part in it either.

What was it about Kusanagi Godou, besides his unique abilities, that could make Loki want to go all-in?

 **"Well?"**

"I...don't know," Loki finally admitted. "It's a feeling. There's something within Godou, something I still can't put my finger on. Something that tells me his existence is beyond unique. It's not just his power, it's Kusanagi Godou himself. There's something about his personality, about his soul, that makes me shudder in excitement as a God."

Finn noticed Godou's face darken by a shade. To be honest, he felt a little jealous. Besides Aiz, Loki had never remotely shown such a keen interest or obsession in anyone in their Familia. But Aiz was special in her own way, as well.

Lancelot's lips thinned out. **"Even though you are correct, that was the wrong answer."**

"What?"

 **"Kusanagi Godou is a unique existence. You may be the first God here to realize it, but you certainly will not be the last."** Lancelot shook her head in disapproval. **"You fail. You will not win him over like that. Then again, I do not think any God will be able to win him over."**

"Oh? And why is that?"

Finn knew when Loki heard a challenge, and the note of defiance in her in her words was something he was used to hearing. It rarely boded good news.

Lancelot strolled to Godou's side. Finn noticed how even Godou looked a bit wary. She licked her lips.

 **"Why would Godou want any other God?"** she asked, grabbing his shirt and pulling him towards her.

"Lancelot, what are you-"

Godou's mouth was sealed shut by another pair of lips smashing into them.

In response, Finn's own mouth dropped, and he heard several gasps around him. Still stuck in the kiss, he saw Godou's arms flail for a second before falling limply to his sides. He saw both Lancelot's and Godou's eyes closing, their facial features relaxing as a blissful expression overcame both of them. He saw how Godou pulled her towards him, his arm wrapping around her waist tightly.

They stayed like that for what felt like an eternity, but when the two finally parted, Finn couldn't help but note the strand of saliva that momentarily continued to connect them afterwards.

 **"When he already has me?"**

Lancelot's words were directed at Loki. If a challenge hadn't been already issued before, it was certainly issued now. Lancelot's lips were curled upwards in a haughty smile, and her tongue swept over them to clear up the residual saliva left from the kiss.

Finn's own goddess looked shell-shocked. He could not blame her. He was still trying to figure out what he'd seen. There were countless rumors of Gods becoming involved with mortals, but Finn had never personally seen such an obvious display like that before.

Despite their God-Captain relationship, Finn had no idea how Loki would respond. He was curious, but that quickly turned to worry when he saw her fingers clench into tight fists at her sides. Her throat bobbed as she swallowed, and Finn knew from that that Loki was still trying to process everything.

 **"You can talk all you want about wanting him, Loki. But the truth is this: Kusanagi Godou doesn't need your help."**

Loki blinked. Finn saw her chest rise as she took a deep breath. And then after that, the only thing he saw was her back as she calmly walked out of the room, slamming the door on her way out.

Finn passed the subsequent silence, slightly dazed in response to Loki's unexpected and unceremonious exit, by watching Godou's face morph between worry, guilt, and finally, acceptance.

"You might have gone a little too far there, Lady Lancelot." Gareth said.

Finn knew his friend was boiling inside. He too, felt something swell inside of him as Lancelot merely combed her hair with her fingers, looking completely unconcerned. Loki was upset because of her, whether unintentional or not. That was something nobody in his Familia could stand for.

Finn clenched his fists. But what could he do? Lancelot was a God.

Gareth's words seemed to startle Riveria back into reality. The Elf immediately stood up and made her way to the door. "I'm going to check on her," was all she said before leaving.

He was the Familia Captain. He'd just witnessed another God cause his own goddess to storm out of the room. He should be saying something. But he could find no words to express how he felt. Even Aiz staring longingly at the door seemed to be a better response than whatever he was doing.

"I think I should leave," Godou said.

Finn didn't want to admit it, but it brought him great pleasure to finally speak again for the first time since Lancelot appeared. "Yes, I think you should."

 **A/N: Oh right-o. As always, do leave a review on your way out. Likes/fav/follows are also appreciated! If you spot any mistakes, feel free to let me know.**

 **As for the announcement: I HAVE A NEW DANMACHI X/OVER FIC. CHECK IT OUT. IT'S CALLED A HUNTER'S COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO CHEESING THE DUNGEON. I am quite excited about it, so do give it a read!**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Ayyy short chapter. Fun to write, hopefully even more fun to read. Huge thanks to ArcMeow for Beta-ing. Check out his work, they're a huge inspiration for me.**

 **Chapter 10: Not Out Of The Race**

"Yo, Godou. You're the bartender today?" Shakti asked as she slid onto the stool across him.

Godou nodded. "Mama Mia's off today, so she asked me to cover." He hadn't seen the Ganesha Familia's Captain in a while. Apparently they'd just returned from an expedition of their own. "What can I get you?"

"Two beers."

He raised an eyebrow. "Two?"

"Yeah. One for me, one for you."

That same eyebrow twitched. "You know you have to pay for my share, right?"

The blue-haired woman across him nodded. "Yeah, I know. I just don't like drinking alone."

Sighing, Godou began to pour the drinks into the mugs. Personally, he thought drinking on the job was unprofessional. But according to Mama Mia, if he couldn't get drunk and it meant more beers were getting sold, then there was nothing wrong with it. "Where's your Familia?" he asked, realizing that the rest of the Ganesha Familia was conspicuously absent.

"They like another tavern. So I'm here alone."

Godou slid Shakti's filled mug across the table top, smiling in satisfaction when it stopped perfectly in front of her without spilling a drop of beer. He'd spent hours perfecting that technique.

"Shouldn't you be with them?" He took a sip of his own beer. Bitter, bubbly, and sour as usual. The recent experience with Soma he had hadn't affected his general dislike for alcohol.

Shakti made a shrugging motion as she drank from her mug. "The bartender here is cuter."

He rolled his eyes. And here was someone else that was also determined to recruit him. "Flattery isn't going to convince me to join your Familia."

He frowned after he finished his sentence, his mind drifting off a little. It felt a little odd, having not seen Loki for a whole week. In fact, it seemed like the entire Loki Familia had begun to avoid the Hostess. When word spread a couple days ago that Aiz Wallenstein had reached Level Six, Godou had half-expected Loki to burst into the tavern with her usual entourage to celebrate.

But she hadn't. Not a single person from her Familia had come.

He blamed Lancelot.

He felt the goddess bristle at the accusation.

 _'Why is she still upset? I don't recall saying anything that controversial."_

Godou was quite sure it wasn't anything that Lancelot had _said_ in particular that had irked Loki.

 _'Oh. The kiss,'_ Lancelot thought, as if it were a mere triviality that had resurfaced in her mind. _'You kissed back,'_ she pointed out.

And indeed, he had. Actually...why had he? He still remembered the sensation very clearly. When Lancelot's soft and moist lips had pressed into his own, he had initially resisted. But when her tongue had wormed its way past his teeth to brush against his own tongue, the world had simply melted away then.

For a short, blissful moment back then, Godou had completely forgotten everything about Orario and its Dungeon. About being a Campione and fighting Gods. About being all alone. Right then and there, locked in that passionate moment, he had been at peace with himself, almost as if he was still surrounded by the people he loved, and was one with them.

 _'None of that would have happened if you had called on me instead,'_ Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi suddenly chimed in. _'I would never kiss you.'_

Godou balked at the mere thought of it.

"-Godou!"

He blinked, suddenly jolted back into reality by Shakti's call, realizing that the girl had been waving her hand in front of him for who-knew-how-long already. He shoved the pair of bickering Gods into the back of his mind. He was still on the clock, and there was a customer right in front of him. He would decide how to deal with the Loki situation at a later time.

It would be bad for business if the Hostess lost the patronage of her whole Familia, after all.

And also, Godou didn't want to lose one of the few friends that he still had.

 **XxXxXxXxXx**

Riveria slammed the door wide open, ignoring the groans of protests coming from the blanket-wrapped figure curled up on the bed.

"Get up, Loki. It's been a whole week."

"Mmbgh unhbghmm," replied the bed in an incoherent mumble.

Riveria strode to the window, and with a sweeping motion, tore open the curtains. Sunlight flooded Loki's room for the first time since Kusanagi Godou had stepped foot into the Loki Familia's home.

The elf stood in front of the bed, waiting for her goddess to make some kind of response. When none came, she spoke instead. "You're acting like a heartbroken teenage girl. You're a goddess for goodness' sake."

"Mmbgh un-"

Riveria couldn't take it anymore. She violently yanked the blanket off the bed.

"BAHDUH!?"

And with it, Loki tumbled off the bed in an ungraceful heap.

Riveria tried to hide her amusement as Loki hissed at the unwelcome exposure to sunlight, using her hands to cover her eyes.

"Why'd you go and do that for, Mama? Didn't you see the _'Do Not_ _Disturb_ ' Sign I left on the doorknob?"

Riveria threw the object she'd been holding onto unwillingly at Loki's face. "Loki. Your used underwear does not constitute as a ' _Do Not Disturb_ ' sign. If anything, it is a cry for help."

"I don't need help," Loki mumbled. The goddess brought the offending garment close to her nose and sniffed it once before immediately making a disgusted face and chucking it towards another corner of the room. "As you can see," she said quite proudly as she re-wrapped herself with her blanket. "I have everything under control. I have a plan," she declared boldly.

"Oh, do share," Riveria said with undisguised mirth. She wondered what Kusanagi Godou would have thought of the scene in front of her. She doubted it would be of anything favorable towards Loki.

"I'm going stay here and wait until all these annoying feelings go away." Loki jumped onto the bed. "So, shoo. You're getting in the way of my plan."

"No. I'm not going to let you do that. You've tried that for a week and clearly it hasn't worked. We're going to work through this the _mortal_ way."

"The _mortal_ way?"

"We're going to _talk_ about it. That's how normal people overcome difficult feelings. We _talk_."

Loki snorted. "Talk? Like _that's_ going to solve anything. Gods don't _talk_. Gods stay put and let their feelings fester and bottle up, before letting it all explode in gigantic displays of power that end up creating amazing natural phenomena."

" _That's_ exactly what we're trying to avoid, Loki. We're doing this. Everyone's worried. Even Aiz is. She broke another record when she reached Level Six, and all you did was pat her on the back. Loki, something is _wrong_ _with you_ , and you know it."

Riveria knew that bringing up Aiz had been the right decision when guilt flashed across Loki's face.

"Ah, right. Aiz reached Level Six. I can't believe I forgot about that." Loki let out a sigh. "Fine. We'll try this your way. Let's _talk_."

Riveria allowed herself to smile, bringing herself to sit across Loki on her bed.

"So," she began. "Kusanagi Godou."

"Yes. Kusanagi Godou. Everything is his fault," Loki grumbled.

Riveria had half a mind to agree with her. But on hindsight, barring the little display with Lancelot, she'd realized almost everything had been out of his control. "Let's talk about him then. What do you think of Kusanagi Godou?"

The question wasn't just to help Loki express herself, but also to sate Riveria's personal curiosity. Loki treated Kusanagi Godou differently from virtually everyone else, even fellow Gods. She wanted to know why.

"Stupid. Annoying. Ungrateful," Loki listed off.

"You're going to have to be honest if this is going to work," Riveria said gently.

Inwardly, she found herself starting to actually compare Loki to an angsty teenage girl. She knew that Gods, in Heaven, perceived emotions differently in their Divine Forms. Because of that, Loki must have been experiencing some feelings for the first time, considering that her human form wasn't _that_ old. She hoped that this wasn't going to be as troublesome as explaining puberty to Aiz had been.

"I was honest," Loki protested. "At least, I was for the last one."

"Ungrateful?"

Loki nodded.

"Why do you think that, Loki?"

" _Why_?" Loki repeated. "Did you _not_ see him _snogging_ with Lancelot back then? I mean, all this time, I've been extra nice to him, visiting him at the Hostess almost everyday, inviting him to join the Familia and all that. But then he's always turned me down, and suddenly he has the nerve to do _that_ with another goddess so shamelessly?"

Riveria was a little taken aback at Loki's outburst. And confused, too. "What's one have to do with the other? Joining your Familia has nothing to do with Godou being in a relationship with another God."

"Don't you get it, Riveria?" Loki exclaimed. "I wanted him to pick me! But he chose Lancelot!"

That answer did nothing to abate Riveria's puzzlement. "What are you talking about? Godou and Lancelot have clearly been together before he met you. Did you expect him to cut ties with his existing goddess just for you?"

"Well... _yeah_ ," Loki admitted. "He can't have _two_ goddesses. That's not fair."

"Why not?" Riveria asked. "I mean, obviously, Godou's going to pick her over you if he's forced to choose."

Loki scowled. "You're supposed to be on my side," she said.

"I'm on nobody's side," Riveria said. "It's the truth. Godou's known Lancelot longer and better."

"Well, I still want him," Loki said, hugging her pillow tightly against her chest. "I want him so badly that it hurts. But he already has Lancelot, so now I don't know what to do."

 _Want him so badly that it...hurt?_

Riveria blinked. This was starting to sound almost as if Loki...

She shook her head to rid herself of the thought. That was impossible...right?

She had to make sure. "Loki. Do you... _like_ Kusanagi Godou?"

Loki looked at her as if she'd asked a stupid question. Riveria thought it was too, but it still had to be asked nonetheless.

"Of course I like him. Why would I not? I mean he's a nice guy, once you peel him away from Lancelot, that blonde upstart. And he helped you guys out in the Dungeon, how could I ever hate him for that?"

Riveria felt the corners of her lips get pulled down. While Loki had answered her question, she had a feeling her God had grossly misunderstood the question.

"I mean, romantically. Do you have romantic feelings for Godou?"

Loki tilted her head. "You mean love?"

"Yeah, something like that."

Loki readily shook her head. "Nuh uh. The one I love is Aiz."

Riveria opened her mouth. But then she didn't really know what to say. She knew Aiz held a special place in Loki's heart, but Riveria was quite certain that it was a different kind of love than the one she was talking about. Loki probably saw Aiz as something like a favorite... _pet_?

She immediately scolded herself for degrading Aiz like that, but she could think of no better analogy. But that opened up a whole other can of worms.

Was Loki so emotionally obtuse?

"What?" the God asked, as Riveria stared at her intensely. "Why'd you go all quiet?"

She didn't know how else to say it. "Loki, I think you're in love with Kusanagi Godou."

"Did you not hear what I just said? I love Aiz."

"Fine, I'll rephrase it," Riveria said in annoyance. "You have a crush on Kusanagi Godou."

For a moment, Loki said nothing. Then she erupted into laughter.

"Me? A crush on Godou!?" Loki pressed her hands into her stomach, doubling over. "How could I have a crush on Godou? I'm not that kind of God, you know? I don't get crushes, period."

"The first crush is always the hardest," Riveria said flatly.

Loki waved her hand dismissively. "Impossible. I'm a God, and Godou's a-" She suddenly stopped.

Riveria knew what Loki had been about to say. _A human. Godou's a human._ But they now both knew that that was not quite true. While a God falling for a human seemed slightly far-fetched, a God developing feelings for a demigod (for Riveria did not know what else to call Godou) seemed far more plausible.

Loki's amused grin flatlined as Riveria realized the exact same thoughts were going on within the goddess' mind.

"You're serious," Loki said.

"I am now," Riveria said. It was the only thing she could come up with where everything made sense. Loki wasn't just upset, she was _jealous_. Loki didn't just want Godou to be in her Familia, she wanted Godou to be _with her_. Loki wasn't just curious about Godou, she was _interested_ _in_ Godou.

Oh great Heavens. She never thought this day would come. Loki, who treated every girl in the Familia like walking stress-dolls, suddenly developing feelings for a _man_.

Across her, Loki's eyes narrowed. Riveria recognized when her goddess was thinking hard, and the subsequent fluttering of her eyelids confirmed what she already knew.

And then Loki opened her mouth. "Mama, what exactly is love, anyway?"

Riveria inwardly groaned. This was definitely going to be far more troublesome than it had been with Aiz. Aiz didn't talk back, and Riveria already knew that the ensuing conversation with Loki was certain to fray her nerves.

It had taken thirty whole minutes of nonstop explanations, questions, and analogies before Loki had, grudgingly, accepted that some _small smidgen_ of her being might have developed _minuscule and near-insignificant_ feelings for Kusanagi Godou.

Riveria wasn't well-versed in the arts of lovecraft, but she'd lived long enough to recognize what was what, something that apparently Loki had not. It hadn't been an easy conclusion to arrive at, but even Loki, in her stuck-in-denial state, could find no other explanation that could explain her aberrant behavior.

Loki, a God almost as old as civilization itself, had somehow managed to develop a crush on Kusanagi Godou.

"In short, do you think about him often, and want to see him, even when he's not around?"

"Yes."

"Would you feel happy if he pays a bit more attention to you than other people?"

"Yes."

"Would you feel upset if you saw him getting close to another woman like, let's say a certain blond-haired goddess?"

" _YES_ ," Loki replied through grit teeth.

Riveria leaned back. "Congratulations, Loki. You finally have your first crush after several eons of existence."

Despite her words, Riveria knew that this was no reason to celebrate. Love made people blind. Internally, she prepared herself for whatever stupid and reckless ideas Loki was going to spew out next.

"I have to kill Lancelot," Loki immediately said.

"No." Even without mentally readying herself beforehand, Riveria was sure she would have instantly shot down that idea anyway.

"Why not? It's the perfect plan! I'll kill Lancelot, and Godou will be heartbroken. And then, in his time of grief, I'll be there to comfort him, and because of that he'll fall in love with me instead. And then..." Loki paused. She turned to Riveria and asked, "and then what happens next? I've never done anything like this before, Mama." She sounded quite lost.

So this was what it's like for a God of tricks and mischief to fall in love. "Nothing happens," Riveria said. "Nothing happens because Godou's not going to fall in love with you if you kill Lancelot."

"He doesn't have to know," Loki said pointedly. "I can be discrete when I want to. I'll kill her secretly. I'm actually very good at things like that."

Oh, Riveria had no doubt about that. Which brought about the second problem with Loki's stupid idea. She couldn't believe she actually had to explain this to Loki.

"And how are you going to kill Lancelot? Mind you, she's stuck in Godou's soul almost all the time, but when she isn't, she has access to her Divine Powers, while you technically don't."

Riveria smiled when she saw Loki purse her lips in frustration. This whole situation would've been cute if Loki wasn't spouting out notions about murder.

"Maybe if I-"

"Stop," Riveria interrupted. "No killing. That's not going to solve anything."

"Then what am I supposed to do? This whole love and romance thingy is annoying!"

Riveria whole-heartedly agreed. "Maybe we can try to remove the crush," she suggested.

"You can do that?" Loki asked, surprised. "Is there some kind of spell? Or maybe a ritual..."

"Love doesn't work that way, Loki," Riveria said blankly.

"Oh. Then how do we get rid of it?"

Riveria drew a blank. She wasn't quite sure about it either. She'd devoted her whole life to studying and practicing magic and because of that, she'd never really gotten anywhere romantically speaking.

"We should start by talking about why you like him," she proposed. "If we know the reason, we might be able to do something about it."

"But I don't know _why_ I like him," Loki said.

"Then let's begin from there," Riveria said. "Spend more time with Kusanagi Godou and find out why you like him in the first place."

Loki looked quite horrified at the prospect. "You want me to get even _closer_ to Kusanagi Godou? What if this crush thing gets even worse?"

Riveria had not intended to tell Loki of that possibility. But it seemed Loki was not as dense as she'd initially assumed. In response, she smiled, almost motherly, at her God. "If that happens, then I promise you that I'll be supporting you all the way. We'll win Godou's heart together, Loki. I'll always be on Team Loki."

Loki beamed back. But then she faltered. "But he already has Lancelot."

"So?" Riveria immediately retorted. "Countless Gods have invited me into their Familias, but I've rejected every single one of them. Do you know why?"

"Why?"

"Because I think you're the best God in Orario. Don't tell me I'm wrong now, am I?"

Loki's chest puffed out as she grinned. "Of course not! I _am_ the best God around after all!"

"Exactly," Riveria said, patting her head. "So don't tell me you're going to give up just because some goddess who can turn into a sword took your place first. The Loki I know would never be happy with just a silver medal."

"You're right, Mama! I'm not going to lose to Lancelot! I'm going to make Godou fall in love with me!"

Inside, Riveria felt glad. It was good that Loki's spirits were high once again. And now that she'd found a goal, then-

Riveria suddenly hesitated. She'd been so focused on lifting Loki's spirits that she'd forgotten that their original intention was to rid Loki of her crush in the first place. But now, at this point, she wasn't sure what exactly she was hoping for. The initial goal of Loki getting over her crush on Godou would've been the simplest option for everyone. But the other option had the possibility of making Loki either very happy, or breaking her heart.

Well, this sudden change in Loki's attitude complicated things.

Loki hopped off the bed, and Riveria was quite pleased to see her changing out of her pajamas for the first time in a week. Then she realized Loki was wearing her going-out clothes.

"Loki, where are you going?" she asked, slightly suspicious.

Loki put on her usual blue crop-top. "Do you remember what Lancelot said? About how other Gods will come to realize that Godou's special?"

Riveria nodded.

"Well, I'm not going to let that happen. I'm going to mark him as mine before any other goddesses get any funny ideas."

This time, Riveria didn't nod. "You have a plan," she stated, more than asked.

"Yep."

She could hear Loki's determination now. This wasn't the idle daydream of a maiden in love. This was the God of tricksters and mischief setting down a strategy to achieve victory through any means.

Riveria smiled. Regardless of what happened to Loki in the end, she knew one thing wouldn't change. She'd continue to support and walk beside her goddess no matter which route she went down.

 _Somebody_ had to make sure that the idiot didn't go around trying to kill her competitors, after all.

 **XxXxXxXxXx**

The change was subtle at first, but became very obvious, very soon.

Everybody in the Hostess was staring at him, and for the life of him, Kusanagi Godou just couldn't figure out why. There were curious glances, dirty looks, and blatant stares. It seemed as if every single person in the tavern was here just to watch him.

He knew it was intentional. Many of them he didn't recognize, and for so many first-timers to show up to the Hostess just to look at him meant that something had happened.

He just didn't know what.

But he was on the clock, which meant that he had to continue to do his job, rather than dig around and unearth the reason.

So he continued washing the used mugs silently. At least this sudden development also meant that everybody appeared to be too intimidated to approach him for drinks, going through the waitresses to order instead. He didn't mind that bit.

"Godou!"

A familiar high-pitched voice called his name. He looked up, only to see Hestia bouncing into the Hostess in a rather forceful manner. Completely ignoring the looks of the other patrons, the short goddess hoisted herself onto the barstool right in front of him. Her mouth was silent, but her face was giving him an expectant look, demanding an explanation.

"Lady Hestia," Godou greeted casually. "It's rare to see you here."

It actually was. While her adventurer, Bell Cranel, visited often, no thanks to Syr, Godou rarely saw the goddess herself in the Hostess. Though Godou could understand, what with her busy schedule earning money for the Familia. Was that why she was here? Because he hadn't visited her to collect his daily fried potato for the past few days?

"Why didn't you tell me about the expedition?"

Godou blinked. "What expedition?"

"The one with the Loki Familia, of course! Why didn't you tell me you were going with them?"

Godou blinked again. He'd almost forgotten about that. But he was surprised Hestia knew about it. While it wasn't exactly a secret, Godou hadn't mentioned it to anyone except his fellow colleagues. Maybe Syr had told Bell about it, who had then told Hestia. But whatever the case, it seemed like a moot point now. He doubted Loki wanted anything to do with him at the moment.

"Ah, some stuff happened between Loki and I," he said sheepishly, "so I think that might be cancelled."

Hestia made a surprised expression. "Oh," she said softly. Then from her bag, she pulled out a paper bag and slid it across the table to him. "Here, I saved one for you."

By now, Godou could recognize Hestia's fried potatoes by scent alone. Gratefully, he accepted it. "Thanks, Lady Hestia."

"So you were considering joining the Loki Familia?" Hestia asked, sounding worried.

"Well, I'd rather not," Godou said, taking a bite of the potato. It was still hot, which was nice. She must have came right after work. "But Loki was quite forceful about the whole thing. Didn't give me much of a choice."

"She's like that," Hestia agreed.

"You're close to her?" Godou asked.

"We argued a lot in Heaven," Hestia explained. "We don't really see eye-to-eye on a lot of matters."

Godou noted Hestia's short height, trying to imagine Loki sitting next to her. He estimated about a whole head's worth of height difference. "I can imagine that," he said, chuckling.

"So you're not joining any Familia?" Hestia asked.

Godou could've swore she sounded almost hopeful.

"No," he said. "I don't have any such plans right now. I like where I am right now."

"But if that changes, you'll let me know, right?" Hestia asked. "My offer to you is always open. You can join my Familia whenever you want."

"Sure," Godou said. He didn't see any problem with that. At least, unlike Loki, Hestia kept her distance and knew not to push. Then again, he supposed that being understanding was what the goddess of family excelled at. Hers wouldn't be a bad Familia to join, all things considered.

If only the nice moment hadn't been ruined by someone kicking the door open while screaming his name.

"Kusanagi Godooouuuu!"

Godou's eyes widened when he recognized the blue hair.

"Shakti," he said calmly, even as the woman stomped up towards him, a piece of paper crumpled in her hand. "Back so soon?"

She'd barely left a few hours ago, and Godou didn't peg her to be an alcoholic.

"What the hell are you thinking, following the Loki Familia to the _Fifty-Ninth Floor_!?"

Godou blinked. Hestia, he could sort of understand. But how in the world had Shakti found out about it?

The answer came a second later, when she slammed the piece of paper in her hand onto the counter. "The Loki Familia just posted this on the Guild Notice Board. Care to explain? And why didn't you say anything about it earlier? Do you have any idea how _dangerous_ it gets past the Fiftieth Floor?"

Choosing not to reply, Godou took a good look at the poster. He already knew trouble was brewing when he heard Loki's name and saw her Familia's crest printed on the piece of parchment.

 _'LOCAL CHEF TO ACCOMPANY LOKI FAMILIA IN EXPEDITION TO FIFTY-NINTH FLOOR,_ ' read the headline in very big letters.

Well, that explained why everyone was staring at him. The goddamned redhead had gone and blurted out to all of Orario he'd join their upcoming expedition.

He had no idea how to react to this. Or rather, he had so many emotions and responses running around in his head, he had no idea which train of thought he should be boarding.

 _'Perhaps the kiss was not enough.'_

 _'No, Lancelot. It was definitely more than enough.'_

 **XxXxXxXxXx**

 **A/N: IMPT: Hey guys, I'm thinking about writing an Omake, one where Loki pranks Hephaestus by passing her both Lancelot and Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi. Would you guys be interested in reading such a thing, since there's no relevance to the story? Do let me know in the reviews/comments.**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: So. I've decided to speed things up a little between Godou and Loki. From the chapter title, I guess y'all can already tell what's going to happen. Anyway this chapter took a long time, despite being kind of short, simply because I rewrote it several times. Tbh, there were plenty of routes this chapter could have gone, and this is the one I like best.**

 **Chapter 11: The Confession**

Taking a deep breath, he opened the door before him.

"Godouuuuuuu, you're back!"

Godou instinctively took a step back when Loki greeted him from across the room with an all-too-cheerful smile accompanied by an all-too-happy voice. He'd returned to her Familia, to the room where he'd first summoned Lancelot, except Loki seemed to be in a far better mood than the last time he'd seen her.

Unlike before, only Finn and his goddess were present.

He looked to Finn. "Is it me, or is she acting weird?"

"She's always weird," the Pallum said.

"I mean like, weirder than normal."

"Oh." Finn looked towards her God, who was sitting cross-legged on the sofa. "Then yeah, maybe. She was all gloomy for a bit, but Riveria had a talk with her, and she's been in high spirits since."

"Oh. That's...good?" Godou said uncertainly.

"Truthfully, I preferred when she holed herself in her room and let me work in peace," the Pallum admitted.

"I'm right here, you know?" Loki called out.

"Which would explain why I haven't been able to get any work done the past three hours," Finn grumbled. "Planning an expedition isn't easy, Loki."

"Ah. About that..." Godou chose that moment to interject. "That's why I'm here actually. Mama Mia forced me to train with you guys for a little bit. So we can get used to each other before the expedition."

Finn looked surprised. "Really? We didn't think you'd ever agree."

"I normally wouldn't," Godou said. "But then Mama Mia kind of fired me temporarily." _Paid leave_ , his boss had called it. As an ex-adventurer, Godou was more than aware that Mama Mia was quite worried for him. He hadn't thought the expedition to the Fifty-Ninth Floor was such a big deal, but after overhearing the everyday chatter in the hostess, Godou was starting to understand just what kind of a situation he'd landed himself into.

It was like discovering a new country. Except one overrun with the strongest monsters seen in decades. Which was why Mama Mia had insisted that he spend the next few weeks with the Expedition force. He hadn't been happy about it at all. In fact, he'd heavily protested. He'd only caved because May refused to let him enter the kitchen.

"Oh goody!" Loki chimed gleefully. "I didn't think she'd take my advice."

"Wait, what?"

"I swear I had nothing to do with this," Finn said, raising both arms.

"Oh yeah," Loki drawled out. "I asked Mama Mia if we could borrow you for a few weeks. She said she'd think about it. But I guess even she remembers just how dangerous the Deeper Floors are. Did you know? She was the first person to step foot on the Fifty-Fifth Floor after the Zeus and Hera Familia. She's probably one of the people who understands best just what it's like to enter uncharted territory."

No, he hadn't known. Like everybody else in the Hostess, Mama Mia kept mum on her past. What little Godou did know had come from the mouths of the the waitresses, who in turn had heard it from long-time customers. But he wasn't angry as he thought would be, even after hearing what Loki said. He knew his boss well enough to understand that she hadn't made that choice simply because Loki had asked her to.

"You got your wish, then," he said to Loki, slightly disgruntled. "Are you happy now?"

The redhead nodded. "Quite." She beamed at him.

Godou was baffled. The last he'd seen, Loki had literally stormed out of the room in anger. He didn't think Gods were the type to forgive and forget so easily, even though he still wasn't entirely sure why she had been upset in the first place. Was she just going to pretend that nothing happened?

Well, if she wasn't going broach the topic, then he would.

"I talked to Lancelot afterwards. She went a little too far. And I shouldn't have let her do it, either. I'm sorry."

The room went silent. Loki's cheerful facade dropped. The tension in the room suddenly grew so thick that Godou regretted saying it so curtly.

Finn coughed into his hand. "I'm uh...going to look for Gareth or Riveria. Please don't break anything."

The sound of Finn closing the door as he left finally prompted Loki to speak.

"I want to talk to her."

"Lancelot?"

Loki nodded.

Godou pursed his lips. He didn't know if he should humor her request. He doubted the two of them were suddenly going to make amends and become the best of friends. The last thing he wanted was for two Gods that were on bad terms to be stuck in a room together.

"I just want to talk to her," Loki said again, as if reading his mind.

 _'Why are you even worried? She's stripped of her powers. She's nothing more than a muzzled wolf right now. If she even tries anything, I can erase her existence from the mortal realm,'_ Lancelot made her opinion known. _'Let me speak to her.'_

 _That's exactly what I'm afraid of. You're going to make her angry again._

 _'She is a God. A God of trickery, no less. If she wants to speak to me, it means that this time, she is prepared for it.'_

He sighed. Lancelot had a point.

 _No_ _kissing_ , he warned. _And don't say anything weird, either._

 _'I am a Knight. I always uphold myself to proper decorum.'_

He rolled his eyes, but gave in anyway.

This time, there was no need for dramatics. Mist swirled into existence next to him, and seconds later, Lancelot was standing next to him, a serene expression on her face as she patted down her clothes.

"Loki," she greeted.

"Lancelot." The redheaded goddess' reply was neutral and emotionless.

For a few seconds, the two Gods did nothing but stare each other down. Godou was worried he'd made a mistake after all.

"This is going to be hard," Loki finally said. The way she'd huffed and darted her eyes away made Godou think that she was talking more to herself. "Her boobs are way bigger. _And_ she's taller."

And now Godou wished she wasn't talking at all.

"Excuse me?" Lancelot asked.

"Ugh, something's not right with this body," Loki grumbled. When she suddenly brought her hands up to her chest and started squeezing her breasts, Godou's eyes bugged out. "I've been doing all the stretches and squeezes everyday, but they haven't grown _at all_."

"Yeah, Loki." He quickly looked away. "Something about you is _definitely not right_. Can you stop?"

"You're weird Godou," Loki said. "When Lancelot pulls you for a kiss, you turn to putty. But now that I'm touching myself in front of you, you don't look and even ask me to _stop_?"

"It's different!" he protested.

"Yeah, I get it." Loki sighed. "You like big boobs."

"No!"

"Really?" Loki sounded hopeful.

"I fail to understand the nature of this conversation," Lancelot suddenly interjected. "If this is a ploy to confuse us, goddess of mischief, you are succeeding very well. Though I must warn you that I do not appreciate such underhanded and clandestine tactics."

"No, I'm just sizing up my competition," Loki stated.

"Competition?" Lancelot asked. "I was not aware we were competing."

Oh no, Godou realized. Loki still hadn't given up.

"Kusanagi Godou. I want him. And if you're not willing to give him to me, then I'm going to have to take him from you."

Godou was quite sure that Loki was misunderstanding something here. Unfortunately, Godou wasn't exactly sure what. Hadn't he made it quite clear he had no interest in joining Loki's Familia?

"You speak as if I am in the position to give him away in the first place. That is not the case. I am his Knight. He is my Lord. I do not have the authority to offer him to you even if I wanted to."

"Oh. So you don't mind if he joins my Familia?"

"If he so wishes to, then I will support him in whatever choice he makes," Lancelot replied coolly.

"Then Godou will be affiliated with _two_ Gods. Doesn't that bother you?" Loki asked.

Lancelot shot him a look. He shook his head, sending a silent message not to reveal anything she didn't have to. He wondered how Loki would react to the actual number of Authorities he had.

Lancelot shrugged. "It's only natural for a King to garner more followers. In any case, it hardly matters because Kusanagi Godou will never join your Familia in the first place."

Loki frowned. She turned to look at him. "Tell her she's wrong, Godou."

For a moment, Godou did nothing. Then he realized Loki was talking to him. She had her hands pressed into her hips, and her eyes had narrowed to form an expectant look on her face.

"What?"

"Tell Lancelot you just haven't made up your mind on Familias yet. Just because you don't want one now doesn't mean you'll never want one in the future."

Well, Loki had a point, Godou had to admit. Nothing was set in stone. But he didn't really want to encourage her.

"You really shouldn't get your hopes up, Loki," he said softly. "I don't want you getting invested into recruiting me and only to end up being rejected."

He didn't want to hurt her.

"You're wrong."

Godou blinked. Loki's reply had been instant and determined. She walked up to him, jabbing a finger into his chest.

"It's already too late for that." A sharp nail dug into his chest. "How am I going to convince you if I'm not sincere about it? How can I show you that I'm a God worth following if I don't give it my all? How am I supposed to win you over, if I'm not prepared to lose anything over you?"

Godou gulped. He'd prepared himself before coming here, but now that Loki was so close to him, and exuding such an intense and determined aura, buried instincts were starting to resurface.

Godou suddenly became acutely aware that the short, redheaded, girl in front of him was a God. Something inside of him began to _itch_. This was bad. Manifesting Lancelot meant that he was tapping into his Campione powers. It meant embracing his Godslayer identity, including all of the urges and senses that came with it.

He no longer saw Loki as just his annoying redheaded friend. She was more than a living body. She was _life_ itself. Suddenly, he could feel the divinity, diluted as it was, coursing through her veins. He could feel the bubbling emotions within her. He could feel her _power_.

And she was issuing a challenge to him.

Anger. Defiance. Excitement. A multitude of responses sprung up within him, and Kusanagi Godou did his best to suppress them. He hated this. He had no doubt that Loki experienced some kind of a similar reaction every time to his own presence, even if she wasn't aware of the cause. He knew it was a major factor to her odd obsession over him.

It was in their nature to be attracted to one another, and Godou's fingers twitched as his mind began to force-feed him memories of his past battles against Heretic Gods. The itch in his gut grew stronger with every passing second.

He could not allow such a thing to come to pass here. If anything, this was a stern reminder to keep his distance away from Loki. He'd been careless. Gods could not become friends with Campiones. Not unless they were willing to be subsumed as an Authority like Lancelot or Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi had. He could never do that to Loki.

He didn't want to hurt her.

Lancelot responded instantly to his silent plea for help. In the blink of an eye, the blonde goddess was standing between Loki and him. His faithful Knight shielding him, Godou felt his lust for battle begin to ebb away noticeably.

"I will correct your misconception, Loki," Lancelot said, stepping forward to push Loki back even further. "Kusanagi Godou is a King. Kings do not follow others, Gods or not. They forge their own paths and leave their own names in the annals of history. He will not join your Familia simply because it is _your_ Familia. Campiones do not serve. They _conquer_."

Maybe three hundred years ago, Godou would have heavily objected to Lancelot's claim. But Godou knew better now, and merely accepted her words begrudgingly. After a while, instead of occasionally assisting the History Compilation Committee, he'd basically ended up calling all the shots.

"And you're saying that he conquered _you_?" Loki asked defiantly.

"Yes."

It was such a simple answer. But from Loki's jolt, Godou surmised she hadn't expected it. She turned to him, her face demanding an explanation. Godou gave her none, because to be honest, he still wasn't exactly sure why Lancelot had swapped allegiances back then to become his Authority.

Lancelot took one more step closer to Loki, their height difference made even more apparent as she towered over the redhead in a show of intimidation."Are you willing to pay the ultimate price for Kusanagi Godou? Are you willing to offer your body and soul to a mortal, Loki, _Daughter of_ _Laufey and Farbauti_?"

Godou felt like he'd been punched as the wave of invisible pressure slammed into him. Simultaneously, every single piece of glass in the room shattered into fine dust. The wind from the outside gushed in, and Godou's only thought was sheer shock that Lancelot had so blatantly used Loki's full name like that.

A second later, when he looked at the God in question, he realized the wind wasn't coming from outside at all. Loki hadn't moved an inch. She didn't need to. The wind was whipping around her, her pony tail flailing about above her head as if gravity didn't exist. Wisps of crimson electricity crackled to life from her finger tips, and when her hands clenched into tight fists, a web of lightning momentarily exploded forth, streaking towards the ground and leaving nothing but smoke and burnt carpet in its wake.

" **How do you know that name, Lancelot?"**

This was bad. Loki's divinity, which had earlier been kept on a tight leash, was now leaking out from every single pore of her body. Godou panicked. Not because he was afraid of Loki, but because he was afraid _for_ her. He knew about the ban on the Arcana. But he had no idea just how much magic Loki could release before it crossed that threshold.

Lancelot looked at him, guilt and regret flashing across her face. It was far too late to take back her words.

Without thinking, he ran towards Loki. The image of a girl wearing a tube top and shorts vanished for a moment, and briefly superimposed onto the redhead's body was instead the visage of a being clad in dirty green armor, spiral-like horns growing out of her head, tendrils of arcane energy slithering across the air around her.

Loki's Divine Form.

His hand twitched. His heart raced with excitement. His brain listed more than a dozen Authorities, all begging to be called upon.

He grimaced. Both he and Lancelot knew what needed to be done. Instantly, her presence in his mind vanished without resistance. The beautiful woman standing in front of Loki disappeared into a mist that was quickly dissipated by the miniature hurricane in the room. And with it, his lust for battle lost its anchor, and he quickly crushed any notion of conflict.

"Loki!" He grabbed her shoulders and shook, trying to literally yank her back into reality.

The girl turned her head, her face completely blank.

 **"Bring her back."**

Had he been an ordinary human, Godou would have sunk to his knees immediately from the sheer amount of authority Loki's voice commanded. But he shrugged off her divine presence with ease. Godou bit his lip. He couldn't let Loki go over the edge. There were people here that needed her. A whole Familia of them.

He needed a way to reel her back from whatever frenzy Lancelot had driven her to.

Unfortunately, Godou only knew one way to calm a battlecrazed person. At least, not without outright knocking them unconscious.

It'd been used countless times on him, after all.

He pulled her towards him and angled his head properly. He felt her entire body stiffen for a moment when his lips collided into hers. But she didn't pull back. Instead, when he felt her tongue begin to brush itself against his lips, Godou was momentarily surprised. his jaw slackened from her unexpected response, and he felt Loki slip into his own mouth, trying to intertwine herself with him.

The wind began to die down. The pressure bearing against him abated. Loki's shoulders relaxed, and her entire body began to soften as she leaned against him. It was working.

Maybe just a little too well.

With a start, Godou realized something.

 _Is...is Loki kissing back?_

 _'I believe I was mistaken earlier.'_ Lancelot's sudden appearance in his mind brought a twinge of annoyance to him. This was entirely her fault once again. _'I guess she is willing.'_

Godou was ready to launch into a violent tirade to scold Lancelot. He'd _called_ it. Lancelot really _had_ make Loki angry again.

But then the door to the room crashed open and Finn, Riveria, and Gareth stumbled in.

"LOKI! ARE YOuuu..."

Their voices died in their throat.

Finn's mouth dropped slightly. Gareth raised a shaking finger. Riveria tried to hide a smile.

Godou realized what the scene must have looked like to them. Immediately, he pulled himself out of the kiss, and Loki suddenly fell forward due to the sudden lack of support.

As Loki grunted in pain on the floor, Godou quickly defended himself. "It's not what it looks like!-"

"Sorry for disturbing you two," Riveria said, smirking. She quickly dragged the still-shell-shocked Dwarf and Pallum out, slamming the door shut behind her.

"-I was..." With nobody left in the room, Godou's explanation withered away. He glared at Loki, who was still sprawled on the ground, staring at him with wide, dazed, eyes.

"You could have said something too, you know," he said.

"You kissed me," Loki said.

Godou winced. "Well, I didn't know how else to get you to calm down so..."

"You kissed me," Loki repeated.

He swallowed, trying to hide his embarrassment. It had been a very serious situation! "Yeah. I guess I did. Sorry about that, are you mad?"

Loki frowned and stood up. "I...I don't know." She furrowed her eyebrows. "I don't really remember how it felt." She cocked her head to the side. "Maybe we can do it again?"

"Uh..." Godou had no idea how to respond to the very innocent-sounding question.

Loki smiled suddenly. "You kissed me," she said again gleefully.

Godou now wasn't sure if it was a good thing that Loki wasn't mad at him.

"Look uh...I'm really sorry about Lancelot." He paused when Loki made a very ugly scowl. "I don't know how she knows your true name, but I'll pretend I didn't hear anything. I know that names have power, and she shouldn't have used it like that. I promise I'll talk to her."

 _'I apologize. I made an error in judgement. I will take any punishment you deem fit, my Lord.'_

"And she says she's sorry," he quickly added, wondering if punishing the God was actually something he _could_ do.

Loki seemed to contemplate over his words. "No, it's okay. I was just really surprised, that's all." She grinned, and Godou felt relief wash over him. "And I guess it's okay if you know, Godou."

While Godou was glad that the kiss had done its job and calmed Loki down, he found himself slightly baffled. He wasn't sure what she was talking about. A God's full name wasn't something to be taken lightly. It was one of the key pieces of information he needed to activate the Golden Sword. And now, he knew Loki's.

The thought was terrifying. If he wanted to, he could probably severe Loki's divinity right now.

"Godou, about what Lancelot said just now..." Loki said uncertainly. "What did she mean when she asked if I was willing to offer my body and soul?"

Shit. Stupid Lancelot, saying too much as usual.

He paused, trying to come up with an answer that wouldn't reveal too much.

Loki must have taken his silence as his response however, because she let out a deep breath. "I see. So your relationship with Lancelot goes far beyond kissing."

Loki wasn't stupid, Godou knew. He wasn't going to bother lying to her, or try to hide anything she'd already managed to deduce.

"It was once. A long time ago. I was...in a bad place, and all alone." It'd been horrible. In the span of less than two years, all four of his girls had died. "She helped me get through it."

Loki frowned, looking as if she was concentrating more than she was unhappy. "She said that as your Knight, she exists to satisfy your needs and to execute your will."

Godou didn't need to say anything. More than enough could already be inferred from Lancelot's words.

Loki let out a deep breath. "So that's what she meant."

Godou more than expected a sign of her disgust, disappointment, or even anger. He'd experienced all three emotions within himself in the wake of his tryst with Lancelot.

He didn't expect her to suddenly hold his hand firmly in hers. He looked up in surprise. Loki's lips were curled upwards in a sincere smile, parting enough to expose a glimpse of her pearl-white teeth.

She tightened her grip slightly. "Kusanagi Godou, I promise you, that as long as I exist in the mortal realm, you will never need to face such hardship by yourself ever again. I will be there for you, always."

Godou's eyes widened. He tried to speak, but with her other hand, Loki quickly pressed a finger against his agape mouth, silencing him.

"On this I swear on the name of Loki, _Daughter_ _of Laufey and Farbauti_."

The pulse of magic that jolted through his nerves confirmed what he suspected. Even in this world, names held power, and Loki had probably done something _very, very stupid_. Finally, she put down her finger and beamed, as if eagerly awaiting his reaction.

"Loki? What did you just do?" he asked very gravely.

"I made a promise," she replied simply.

"What kind of promise?"

Her smile dropped to form an annoyed pout. "Are you not touched at all, Kusanagi Godou? I just made a Divine Vow for you!"

Oh no. Oh no no no.

Godou _really_ wanted to feel touched. He really did, considering that Loki had really gone and done something rather extreme for his sake. He had no idea what a Divine Vow was, but he knew enough to guess that nothing good would happen if she broke it. She'd put her _name_ on the line, after all. And because of that, any kind of sentimental feeling was discarded in favor of incredulity and concern.

"You're an idiot," he said, still slightly in a state of disbelief. "Do you even know what happens if you don't keep it?"

"Nope. And I don't intend on finding out. I meant what I said, Godou. This is how far I'm willing to go. Do you understand now?" At this point, Godou realized that his fingers were still interlaced with Loki's. " _I_ _want you_."

"No." It took more effort than he would have liked to admit to say that lone word. "You don't. And you shouldn't. Loki, I'm not supposed to exist. My very presence is a threat to everyone around me. Including you, Loki. Don't go around making reckless decisions for my sake just because you want a Campione in your Familia."

Loki's wince was noticeable. Godou had never intended to phrase it nicely. He needed to be honest now. He regretted not nipping whatever feelings Loki had in the bud when he had the chance to. But now with the Divine Vow in place, Godou no longer had any excuse. He'd messed up. He should've confessed from the very start, or at least distanced himself from her. Now she'd gone and done something irreversible. He had to let her know exactly what she'd gotten herself into.

Even if it meant becoming her enemy.

"Is that how you see it?" she asked, hurt. "Well, I don't care. You're wrong. I want _you,_ Godou, not a Campione."

"Loki-"

"In fact, I don't _care_ that you're a Campione!"

"Loki-"

"Don't you get it, Godou? I _like_ -"

"-Loki, I kill Gods."

 **XxXxXxXxXx**

 **A/N: Was it the confession you were expecting? Also... I feel like I'm kind of neglecting Godou's relationship with the Hostess despite him actually working there. I think I'll focus on that after the Expedition Arc.**

 **On that note: Thanks for 2000 Follows guys, and we're hitting 2k Favs soon (On FF, at least). On spacebattles...Wtf I can't believe my six-thousand-word Avengers/Boku no Hero Xover already has more likes per chapter than this. Oh yeah, in case y'all don't know yet, I have a new Story, go check it out! It's called Iron Heart.**

 **Do leave a like, follow, fav, or a comment/review if you liked this!**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: At last, the long-awaited chapter. Hopefully, it'll live up to what many of you have called the best/worst cliffhanger so far.**

 **Chapter 12:**

"No."

 _Thud._ He dropped the object onto the ground. Thankfully, it hadn't simply crashed straight through the floor like it had the last time he'd summoned it.

"No," Loki said again. She took several steps back. Her gaze flicked to the object Godou had dropped, before she went back to staring at him. Eyes that once sparkled with curiosity and mischief now quivered with fear and disbelief.

"It's real, Loki," Godou said solemnly.

"You're lying." But her trembling voice betrayed her doubt. "You're not allowed to have that. It's not yours."

"It is _now_. You _saw_ me hold it, Loki."

"It's a trick. It has to be," Loki said.

Godou bit his lip. He had expected this. Denial, among many others, was one of the more common reactions. She had laughed at him at first. Told him to stop joking. Called him stupid. Tiptoed and ruffled his hair.

She had not believed him. Not in the slightest.

So he had shown her proof.

"You're the God of Tricks and Mischief, Loki," Godou said. "You _know_ I'm telling the truth."

" _How can I_?" she bit back. "The only thing I know is that _you're the only one that can lie to Gods._ "

"Because I can kill them."

There was silence.

He caught the hand mere millimeters before it struck his cheek.

"A man doesn't stop a woman's slap," Loki said seethingly. "I'm giving you one more chance, Kusanagi Godou. This isn't something mortals are allowed to joke about."

"Try picking it up then," was his only response.

She glared at him. Godou did not falter. He had stared down dozens of Gods before. This was no different.

She huffed and yanked her hand out of his grip.

Godou took a few steps back, giving her plenty of space as she squatted down and began studying the object resting on the ground.

He wasn't going to discount another slap from Loki.

"Why does it have runes in the Language of the Gods engraved on it?" she asked.

"Because it _is_ the weapon of a God," came his frank reply. And then, he added, "or at least, it _was_."

"Stop it," Loki snapped at him. "When and where did you learn this?"

"Just touch the goddamn hammer already, Loki."

Her leer intensified. "If this is your idea of a joke, Godou... you're going to regret this. There are some lines you don't cross with a God, even if she is your friend."

She didn't understand. Becoming friends with a God was _his_ very definition of crossing the line. And now, he was paying the price.

"And if I'm not joking?" he asked.

Loki did not reply. Instead, she diverted all her attention in front of her. A shaking finger stretched out to touch a leatherclad grip.

Goudo bit his lip in anticipation. He had no idea how it would react. It was a weapon, but that didn't make it inanimate.

It had a soul of its own, and while it didn't have a personality the way Lancelot or Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi did, that didn't mean it was any less expressive than them.

The moment her finger touched it, Godou felt its surprise. It recognized her. But more than that, Godou felt its annoyance. There were few people that it disliked more than its former owner's brother. Or sister, in this world's case.

It lashed out, making its ire known. Countless blue sparks of lightning ignited, and the hammer literally crackled from irritation.

"Ouch!" Loki yelped, her hand shirking away. "You stupid hammer!"

The hammer vibrated in its spot. Godou felt its satisfaction.

"Yeah, well? If you like Thor so much, why don't you stick yourself up-"

Loki stopped.

Godou felt no happiness when he saw her face paling. Dread was written all over her face as her eyes grew wider and she retreated several steps back, eyeing the hammer as if it had committed some heinous crime.

It hadn't. But Godou had.

"You touched it." He walked up to the hammer.

"No, I didn't," Loki said, blatantly lying.

"You recognized it." He wrapped his own hand around the hilt. Brilliant sparks erupted from the hammer, but unlike with Loki, they did not sting him. Colorful threads of lightning wove themselves around his wrist as the weapon trembled in place from excitement.

Loki shook her head in denial.

" _Mjolnir_ ," he said.

"You should not know that name." Her voice quivered.

"The weapon of the destined King. The judge of the worthy. The symbol of Thor _Odinson_."

"You should not know that name either." Her words were said with a soft whisper, barely audible.

"And now," he paused. He saw's Loki's frightful gaze drop to the hammer on the ground. He hefted the weapon up. In his hand, it felt as a light as a feather. He swung it around like it was a toy. "It's mine."

Disbelief.

Anger.

And then suddenly, her jaw dropped.

Realization.

A shaking hand pointed a finger straight at him.

 _Fear_.

"It acknowledged you as Thor. You don't just kill Gods," Loki murmured. "You _usurp_ them."

Godou said nothing first. Mjolnir vanished from existence, having served its purpose.

His lips sunk. He hadn't wanted to do this. His hand had been forced. He had allowed Loki to get too close, a mistake he wouldn't be making again. "Do you understand now, Loki," he said soberly, "just what I am? How dangerous I am?"

Before him, the concept of immortality did not exist. Before him, the idea of omnipotence was laughable. Before him, the title of God meant nothing more than a target painted on her back.

After fighting Gods for centuries, Godou could feel Loki's wavering heart.

Arrogance, derived from birth-given divinity and supremacy, crumbled.

Knowledge, gained from eons of existence, disproved.

Authority, granted by the natural order of the world, subverted.

It was a shame that so many of the Gods Godou had faced only experienced this enlightenment at Death's door.

"Monster," Loki blurted out.

Ah. A wistful smile crossed his face. She'd finally said it. Like he'd expected, she was no different from the rest. Deep down, he'd known all along. Despite their mortal shells, their leashed powers, and their simple lifestyles, they were still Gods. Their bodies might be human now, but their souls and minds were not.

No God would _truly_ want to be mortal.

No God wanted to _die_.

And he was exactly the kind of entity that could turn their greatest fears into reality.

"I'm not a monster," he corrected her.

"Then what would _you_ call someone that can slay Gods?"

" _Campione_."

 **XxXxXxXxXx**

 _"I'm dropping out of the expedition. Ask Loki if you don't believe_ _me."_

Of course, Riveria didn't believe Godou. Loki would never let that happen. And why had Godou sounded so defeated and despaired? Wasn't everything going perfectly for the two of them?

They had been _kissing_!

Such thoughts ran through Riveria's head as she bounded up the stairs two at a time to find her God.

"Wait, am I the only one still confused by the whole _kissing_ thing?" Finn asked behind her. "I thought you were going to grill him for information, but you just let him walk out like that!"

Something had happened, Riveria knew. Judging by Godou's demeanor, it hadn't been good.

"We'll hear it from Loki herself," she said firmly. "She needs us right now."

"How do you know?" Gareth asked, the stairs creaking beneath his weight. "She seemed perfectly fine the last time we saw her."

Riveria pursed her lips. "A woman's intuition."

The two men behind her kept quiet after that.

The door to the office was still shut. Riveria reached out to grab it, but then instantly froze.

A chill ran up her spine. What was this feeling? Beside her, Finn looked down to his thumb.

"Something isn't right," her Captain murmured. "It's weird. It's almost like we're about to walk into a fight."

"It's just Loki in there, right?" Gareth asked.

Riveria hesitated. Was this really a good time to talk to Loki? She shook her head. A silly question. They were a family. Of course it was.

She swung the door open.

She saw Loki immediately, sprawled across the sofa as if she had just woken up from a nap. "Loki!" she called out.

Then she saw the jar of Soma cradled in her arms.

 _Oh no_.

"Loki, what happened?" She quickly rushed to her goddess' side. Loki's face was already red from drinking the divine wine, but the tear stains on her cheeks still glistened. Puffy eyes blinked out tears and gave her a pleading look.

Finn sulked as he walked behind her, kicking the shards of glass that littered the floor. Thankfully, he kept quiet, but Riveria couldn't help but feel slightly annoyed that he seemed more distressed about the state of the room than he was about their God.

"Kusanagi Godou," the God mumbled out in a slur.

Riveria winced. They'd kissed. But what had happened _after_ that?

" _Of course_ it's about him." Gareth groaned. "What'd the brat do, Loki?" he punched one fist into another hand. "Do you need me to teach him how to treat a lady properly?"

Loki's eyes widened in alarm as she suddenly sat up straight, nearly slamming into Riveria in the process.

"No," Loki said softly, as if she had sobered up all of a sudden. "No, don't. All of you. Don't go near Kusanagi Godou _ever_ again."

 **XxXxXxXxXx**

Hestia was a goddess of Family. She was not a goddess of Love. If she had been one, things with Bell would have been going _so much more_ smoother. She could be like Ishtar, or Freya, and charm the boy into looking only at her and never at that home-wrecking supporter of his.

But that didn't mean she was completely clueless about romance and love. At some point, love led to family. Love was the building block of a family, and Hestia knew a broken heart when she saw one.

Not that Loki made it very difficult, anyway.

So this was what a human, even if they were a God, would smell like if they hadn't showered for two weeks.

She tried to not crinkle her nose at the odor as she sat down next to where Loki was lying face-down on the bed.

"Loki?" she asked gently. She'd knocked dozens of times, but the lack of any response had led to her coming in uninvited.

The redhead slowly turned her head, cracking open an eye. Hestia pretended to ignore the fresh tear stains on the pillow.

Two whole weeks, Hephaestus and Loki's Familia had told her. Loki had been inconsolable for two whole weeks.

Curiosity was half the reason she had come. The Loki she'd known had been insufferable and hardheaded. If she didn't look so pitiful, Hestia might have felt some kind of smug satisfaction at the sight of her sinking so low.

"Oh," Loki said monotonously. "It's just you, Hestia." And then she dropped her head back into her pillow. "Why are you here?" she asked with a muffled voice.

Hestia frowned. No jibe at her shortness? No mockery at her near non-existent Familia? Not even an envious glare at her chest?

Something was definitely wrong with Loki.

"Hephaestus said she'd cut my debt in half if I could cheer you up," she said truthfully. "But now looking at you, I'd help you anyway."

 _"I can fix weapons. But not people. You've always been better at that,_ _Hestia,"_ the blacksmith goddess had said. Now Hestia knew why Hephaestus had sounded so concerned.

She empathized with Loki. Like her, the redhead had never experienced love until the mortal realm. She wasn't sure what had happened, and the revelation that the man was none other than Kusanagi Godou had shocked her, but clearly some kind of rejection had taken place.

Hestia wouldn't know how she would react if Bell ever suddenly turned his back on her.

"You can't help me, nobody can."

"I can if you'd let me."

Loki said nothing.

"Everyone's worried, Loki. Your Familia's having their expedition tomorrow, but the only thing on their mind is their wayward Goddess. Don't you want them to be focused during such a dangerous trip?"

"You're right. I should cancel the Expedition all together."

Hestia frowned. "Loki. I know how you feel."

"No, you don't."

She opened her mouth to retort that, but stopped mid-way. Loki was kind of right. It wasn't like Bell had rejected her yet, after all.

"I love Bell."

Loki turned her head slightly. Hestia was glad that she'd gotten a reaction, at least.

"Who the heck is Bell?"

She was here to _cheer_ Loki up, Hestia reminded herself, not to _beat_ her up.

"My adventurer." She forced a smile. "Bell Cranel. I love him."

"Oh," Loki said, sounding not interested in the slightest. "Good for you."

This was going to be _much_ harder than Hestia had initially thought.

"You love Kusanagi Godou, don't you?" she asked, becoming slightly puzzled. Had Riveria been wrong?

" _Don't_." Loki sat up straight suddenly, startling Hestia. "Don't say _his_ name."

Now Hestia was very confused. Just what exactly had Godou done to Loki? "Why not?" she asked.

She could see the conflict within Loki as the redhead thought.

"Because he's not the person you think he is."

Now Hestia was the one that was conflicted. Obviously, Loki was hiding something. She knew something about Kusanagi Godou that nobody else did, it seemed. Hestia knew exactly what kind of God Loki was. Honesty and virtue were not qualities she was famous for. But right now, as Loki's gaze bore into her soul, their shared bond as Gods gave her a glimpse into Loki's emotions.

Hurt.

Betrayal.

 _Fear_.

Hestia felt troubled at that last one. Why would Loki, a God, feel afraid?

"Loki. What's wrong?"

She was missing something here. She had a feeling this went far beyond Kusanagi Godou.

"Hestia," Loki said very seriously. "What are monsters?"

She was taken aback by the question momentarily. Had everyone been mistaken? Was Kusanagi Godou not the cause of Loki's woes?

"What do you mean, _what are monsters_?" she asked back. "They're the evil creatures that spawn in the Dungeon."

Loki seemed completely unsatisfied with the answer. "What does that even mean? Is everything that spawns in the Dungeon a monster then? Are they _all_ evil? Where do they come from, and how come we Gods can't control them?"

Hestia blinked. An...an existential crisis? While she was happy that Loki was finally starting to talk more, she had no idea how to deal with this. Could Gods even _have_ existential crises?

"Um...I don't know. Isn't that why we have adventurers go into the Dungeon in the first place? To find out?" Loki had been here for at least decade, and she was only asking this _now_?

"I don't want to wait to find out. I need to know _now_ ," the redhead whined.

"Is this about Kusana-" a glare from Loki caused Hestia to stop mid-sentence. "Is this about _him_?" she corrected herself.

"Maybe," Loki said, her eyes dodging away.

Hestia rolled her eyes. "So do you like him or not?!" she demanded. "Otherwise, me telling you that I like Bell would have been pointless!"

"I DON'T KNOW!" Loki exclaimed. "I don't know..." she said again, softly this time. "And it's pissing the hell out of me." She picked up a pillow and threw it at the wall. "Love is stupid," she grumbled.

"No, it's not."

Loki looked up, slightly surprised. To be honest, even Hestia hadn't expected her own response to be so automatic and determined.

"Love is wonderful," she continued. "It gives us joy. It gives us purpose. It gives color to what would have been otherwise a painfully mundane world. But where there is light, there is darkness. It hurts us. It breaks us. It can drive people to do despicable things."

She paused. Why was she giving a lecture about love to Loki?

But she kept talking anyway. "Love builds. It also destroys. We don't get to choose which side the coin lands. We can only accept it. No matter how you feel about it, love will always be there. So it's up to you to decide whether you want to weather through the storm to see the rainbow, or shut yourself from the world and see nothing at all."

Loki gulped. She seemed to be contemplating.

Hestia certainly hoped she was, especially after such a long speech. Who would've ever guessed that she'd be preaching about love to _Loki of all people_ one day?

"If Bell Cranel stabbed you, would you still love him?"

What?

The face on Loki's face was completely serious, and Hestia had to let that question fully sink in.

"I love Bell because he has the kindest, purest soul I've ever seen. He won't do such a thing. But loving someone also means being prepared to be hurt. But the fear of being hurt isn't a sign that you should stop loving them. Everyday, I'm afraid that something happens to Bell in the Dungeon, that it might be my last day seeing him. Or maybe he's decided to join another Familia. Bell Cranel can hurt me in so many ways even if he doesn't mean to. But that's normal. That vulnerability that you're feeling? That's already love. Loki, you're in love with Kusanagi Godou, even if you don't want to admit it."

Loki shook her head. "No. I can't. I can't love Kusanagi Godou. It's not right."

Hestia smiled. Loki had finally said his name. "Why not? Because it'd mean exposing yourself? Because it'd mean giving him the opportunity to hurt you? Because it'd mean becoming weak?"

Loki's widening eyes told Hestia she'd hit the bulls-eye. Very slowly, the redhead nodded.

"Congratulations, Loki." Hestia smiled. "You've discovered the concept of mortality. That fear you're experiencing? It's something our adventurers go through every time they enter the Dungeon. And yet, they still do. Tirelessly. Bravely. Willingly. Do you want to know why?"

Hestia didn't give Loki time to respond.

"Because that's what it means to be alive. That's what it means to be strong. And that's why even though we live infinitely longer than them, the lives of mortals seem so much brighter and more exciting than ours. Their mortality motivates them, because knowing that their lives will inevitably end is what drives them to make it as much as an adventure as possible. Isn't that why we descended from the Divine Realm? To get a taste of that adventure? Loki, right now, you have the chance to experience mortal life at its fullest. And if your adventurers can do it, then so can you."

"I..." Loki stammered. "I..."

"You need to think," Hestia said. "This is your choice, after all. Don't just base it on what I say. You know what you want best. The Kusanagi Godou you know is different from the Kusanagi Godou I do."

"Wait," Loki said. "You know him?"

"Yeah." Hestia grinned. "I owe him a great deal. I offered him a place in my Familia-"

She saw Loki panic slightly.

"-but he turned me down."

Loki's sigh of relief was audible. "Stay away from him, Hestia," she warned afterwards.

Hestia furrowed her brows, slightly annoyed by Loki's rude response. "What? I already told you about Bell, didn't I? I don't like Godou _that way_. And if he means that much to you, then fine, you can have him. I'll stop trying to recruit him."

Loki shook her head frantically. "That's not what I meant, Hestia. This isn't about me. For your own sake, you _need_ to stay away from Kusanagi Godou."

Hestia felt unease and concern building up within her. It didn't feel like Loki was lying."He's a good person, Loki. I'm in his debt. I can't just start ignoring him because you told me to." She grabbed the redhead's hand gently, trying to coax her. "What happened, Loki?"

Loki looked at her. The goddess of mischief pursed her lips and Hestia waited for her internal debate to come to a conclusion. She needed Loki to trust her. Obviously, there was a side to Kusanagi Godou that she wasn't aware of, but Hestia refused to believe that that was enough of a reason to start avoiding the man.

Kusanagi Godou had a kind soul.

"I...I can't say." Loki slumped her shoulders.

"Did he ask you not to tell?"

Loki shook her head. "No. But, if I say it, it means I believe him. And I don't want to do that."

Hestia arched a brow. "You telling me to stay away from him means that you already believe him."

"It's different," Loki insisted. "If you knew...you'd understand, too."

"Then _help_ me understand. Tell me what he said. If it's as serious as you're making it sound, then you should be telling _everyone_."

"I...I need to think about this first. I don't even know if what he said is possible."

"And if it is?"

Loki looked up, a hollow look on her face. Hestia involuntarily winced when Loki's voice dropped to a soft, shallow whisper. "Then he's probably the worst monster to have ever come out from the Dungeon."

Hestia gulped. Her mind flipped through ancient memories like they were pages of a book. Horrifying scenes of decimation and destruction at the hands of ancient monsters flashed before her eyes. Grotesque, senseless violence beyond even the Gods' imaginations. Gargantuan, lumbering beasts even among the monsters that laid waste to entire civilizations.

Hestia still wasn't sure how they'd been defeated.

The very notion that Kusanagi Godou could surpass their threat seemed laughable to her.

Except Loki wasn't laughing.

"You're telling the truth, aren't you?" she asked gravely.

Loki nodded. "Stay away from him. From one God to another, Hestia, _stay away from Kusanagi Godou_ ," came her somber warning.

Hestia felt every hair on her body stand when Loki uttered those words. She hadn't seen a God experience fear like this since the Great War. She took another moment to fully take in Loki's disheveled appearance. Frazzled hair. Sinking, dark, eyebags. A complexion that simply reeked of desolation. It was hard to imagine that a lone human man could have such an impact on Loki, the goddess of mischief herself.

Kusanagi Godou.

She still remembered the day he had simply given the Grimoire to her. Her choice had been obvious. She wasn't going to sacrifice Bell's growth for the sake of cutting down a debt she had already been prepared to shoulder. She had never actually gotten to tell him that she'd given it to Bell, despite the fact that he had come down more than once to claim his daily free snack.

In fact he had come almost everyday. She was always aware of his presence, hiding behind some obscure corner, or simply watching from the rooftops. Like Freya, she could sense souls somewhat, even if she kept it a secret from most people. Godou's entire being stood out from the crowd like a splotch of mud did on a wedding dress. It was revolting, and tainted the entire market. In her time in Orario, Hestia had never met a soul so tormented and in pain.

That alone had told her that something was off about the human being named Kusanagi Godou. The way he sometimes seemed content with watching her for half an hour without revealing himself and then leaving had also disturbed her greatly. But within a few days, she had understood the rationale behind his actions.

Godou only ever claimed his free snack mere minutes before she closed shop. If she ever sold out before that, he'd leave without a word. He didn't want to get a free fried potato when it meant that Hestia would be losing a potential sale.

And that's when Hestia confirmed what she had longed suspected. The world had wronged Kusanagi Godou somehow, she knew. The ominous aura he wore stood testament to his trials and traumas. And yet despite that, he had not quavered. Beneath that darkness and suffering lay a soul of pure gold, one that seemed to capable of matching even Bell's. He had been hurt greatly, and had gone to extreme ends to not be hurt again. He shielded himself with his pain, deluded into thinking that constantly tormenting himself with misery and anguish would numb him from it eventually.

And there was another soul that didn't understand the dichotomy of love.

Kusanagi Godou was broken, and despite Hephaestus' confidence in her, Hestia wasn't sure if his soul was one that she could fix.

But maybe somebody else could.

"I refuse."

Loki's alarm was visible. "Hestia, you don't understand, he's-"

"I understand enough. And I refuse to listen to your warning."

Loki's inner turmoil bubbled to the surface. For a few seconds, the redhead was obviously considering letting the cat of the bag. But Hestia didn't care about that. She didn't want to know about it after all.

"Loki. Do you trust Kusanagi Godou?"

"I..." She faltered. Hestia could recognize the guilt written all over Loki's face.

"Because Kusanagi Godou trusts you. Or at least, he _did_."

Loki blinked."What do you mean?"

"I don't know what he told you. Nor do I intend on finding out. But whatever it is, it's clearly a big deal, isn't it? Something he normally wouldn't want people knowing."

Loki nodded dumbly.

"So why would he tell you, Loki?"

Loki's eyes widened for a fraction of a second. "I..." She hesitated, "I may have done something very stupid, Hestia," she confessed.

Hestia titled her head. Loki was the God of Mischief. She was literally _the authority_ on doing stupid things. "What?"

"I made a Divine Vow to him."

" _WHAT!?_ "

Loki flinched, and Hestia momentarily regretted raising her voice so suddenly. Then she remembered why she did it in the first place. "Loki, what have you done? Do you even know what happens if you break a Divine Vow?"

"Something bad?" Loki ventured, not bothering to hide her ignorance.

Hestia resisted the urge to groan loudly in frustration. How did someone so _stupid_ make such a powerful Familia?

"Don't look at me like that, Hestia. It's not like people make them often. I've never even heard of someone breaking one. How am I supposed to know what happens?" Loki complained, pouting.

"Yeah, because it's _serious business_." Hestia sat straight, trying to hide her exasperation with a facade of seriousness. "You put your Divine Name on the line, Loki. It's basically offering your Divinity in exchange for the trust of a mortal! Loki, you could lose your _Godhood_."

"Oh. That's pretty bad," Loki said blankly.

"No, it's even worse, because you've definitely lost Godou's trust!" Hestia exclaimed. Gods, wasn't Loki supposed to be crafty and sly? How could she be so _dense_?

"Wait, what do you mean by that?" the redhead asked confusedly.

Hestia couldn't hold it in anymore. She balled her hand into a fist and knocked against Loki's definitely-empty skull several times. "Loki, think about it. Why would Kusanagi Godou tell you his greatest secret? He probably hasn't told another soul, so out of everyone in Orario, why would he tell _you_?"

"I..." Loki shrugged hopelessly. "I dunno."

"It's because he trusted you! It's because he cares about you! Your Divine Vow must have terrified him. He realized your were diving into the deep end of the pool, and he wanted you to know just _exactly_ what you were getting yourself into! He wanted to make it clear to you just what kind of a person he is, because he didn't want to you to get hurt even worse if you ever found out another way! And maybe, just maybe, a small part of him was hoping that you'd accept him for who he was!"

Panting, Hestia felt terrible. She pitied Kusanagi Godou. That poor boy. She couldn't imagine how it must have felt for him.

"He...he what?" Loki looked equally horrified.

"Who knows how long he's been holding that secret? Who knows what it must have been like for him, knowing that a single slip of the tongue might result in the world turning against him? Who knows how long he's had to bear that burden all by himself? And then one day, he meets a goddess willing to shed her Divinity for him. So past the sheer shock and fear, he decides that, just maybe, he can share that load with someone else. And when he finally opens himself up and reveals the truth, what does that goddess do?"

"She calls him a monster," she admitted ruefully.

"And that's that." Hestia shook her head sorrowfully. "She proves him right. That whatever secret he shared should've remained one. That he was wrong to think that he could've believed in others. And so he cements within himself the idea that in this world, he is truly alone. That no one, not even the God that made a Divine Vow to him, can be trusted."

Hestia felt Godou's pain course through her. Poor child. The Gods had wronged him once more.

Across her, Loki closed her eyes. "I..." Her lips parted slightly as a lone tear squeezed out from the corner of her eye. "I may have made a terrible mistake."

"Yes." Hestia didn't bother to hide her honesty. "Yes, you have."

Loki looked up to her. Desperation and guilt marred her pretty face. "What...what should I do, Hestia?"

Hestia bit her lip . "I don't know, Loki." But then she forced herself to smile. It was wrong to give up now. "But Godou must have picked you for a reason. Only _you_ can come up with the way to fix this."

Loki looked doubtful. "Will it really be enough?"

"It has to be. Or else, if what you say is true, you've just unleashed the most terrifying monster in history on us all."

 **XxXxXxXxXx**

Kusanagi Godou was surprised when he walked into the kitchen and saw that someone was already there. It was still a couple hours before the Hostess opened, and the only reason he had come so early was simply because he had nothing better to do ever since the Loki thing.

He frowned at the mere thought of it. He shook himself out from the past. There were more pressing matters to deal with in the present.

"You don't work here," he said, alerting the boy to his presence. "Why are you washing the dishes for us?"

Bell Cranel nearly dropped a dish in surprise. "Ah!" The boy's face turned as red as one of the many alcoholics that frequented the tavern. "Master Godou!"

Godou arched an eyebrow. _Master_?

Bell Cranel leaned forward and bowed deeply to him. "Lady Hestia told me about what you did for us. Thank you very much for the Grimoire! I wouldn't where I am today if it weren't the magic I learned from it!"

Oh. So that was it. Like he'd expected, Hestia had chosen to give it to Bell.

"And so, you're washing the dishes to repay me?" he asked uncertainly. It was unconventional, and maybe a little bit late...but he wouldn't refuse free help if it was offered.

"Um..." The boy raised a sheepish hand to scratch the back of his head. "Actually, Syr asked me for a favor...so here I am."

Syr? Then he suddenly remembered. The girl was supposed to work overtime today as punishment for leaving work early the night before. He paused and looked around. The gray-haired girl was nowhere to be seen.

So that was she was going to play this. She'd probably fed Bell some sob story and gotten him to do her work for him. Poor boy didn't even know he'd been taken for a spin. It'd taken him more than a month to realize that the ditzy, bubbly girl was not quite as innocent and absent-minded as she made herself seem like. Sighing, Godou rolled up his sleeves.

"I'll help you out, I guess. Shouldn't have an outsider doing our work, after all."

"As will I," a new voice said from behind.

Godou turned just in time to see Ryuu walk into the kitchen, her waitress outfit already donned.

"Thanks!" Bell said cheerfully.

Ryuu shook her head. "This is our job. No need to thank us. Though I believe we need to talk to Syr after this, Godou."

"You handle that," Godou said with a chuckle. "Syr only listens to you and Mama Mia, after all."

For a while, all they did was wash dishes in silence. Godou was more than aware of the furtive looks that Bell was sending towards him and Ryuu, but said nothing of it. The boy was a self-proclaimed adventurer. If he could find the bravery to enter the Dungeon and kill monsters, then surely he could find the bravery to ask two fellow dish-washers a few questions.

"Ryuu, Master Godou."

Idly, Godou wondered if Hestia was the one that had put Bell up to address him with such respect.

"Were the two of you adventurers?"

"Yes, a long time ago," was Ryuu's response.

"Nope," was his own.

"How...how do you become strong?" Bell asked. "How do you Level Up?"

Godou kept quiet. He didn't know how to answer this. He didn't know how the Falna worked, after all.

"You seem to be mistaken about something, Bell," Ryuu informed him. "You do not become strong by Leveling-Up. You Level-Up by becoming strong. Your abilities are capped by your Level. To increase your Level, you must prove that you are worthy. Defeat powerful enemies. Complete dangerous quests. Accomplish feats that will impress the Gods. That is how one Level-Ups. Only by surpassing your own limits, will you be able to break past the barriers that are imposed by your Level."

This was news to Godou. And judging by Bell's face, it was to him as well.

"But how do you do that? How do you defeat an opponent that's far stronger than you?"

Ryuu looked to him. "What?" Godou asked.

"I believe you can answer his question better than I can, Godou. You seem like the type of person that has defeated many strong enemies."

He frowned. She wasn't wrong, but he didn't like how she'd seen through him so easily.

"If you can make it bleed, then you can kill it," he said. "There is strength. There is power. There is strategy. There is tactics. A battle is determined by all kinds of variables. If the enemy is superior than you in one, rely on another. Use your strengths against their weaknesses. A battle is more than just stats and numbers. I said that to you the first time we met, didn't I? Levels are just a number."

Bell was staring at him with adoration. Godou felt a little sheepish. It'd been a while since he'd given out advice like that.

"Godou is correct. You must go on an adventure. And you need not be on your own. Form a party. Multiply your strengths and cover your weaknesses. That is another way to defeat more powerful foes. Whatever the case, Leveling-Up is a result of exceeding your limitations," Ryuu added.

"Is that how you became so strong, Master Godou?" Bell asked.

Godou grunted. "It wasn't by choice."

"You must have gone on many adventures then, Master Godou," Bell said enviously, not really realizing his reluctance on talking about this particular topic.

"Not alone," he said wistfully. "Find good teammates, Bell. They help you grow. In more ways than you can ever imagine."

"Yes," Ryuu agreed quietly, "they do."

Finally, Bell seemed to realize the mood had darkened quite a bit, and looked a bit guilty. Godou was aware that Ryuu had her own troubles in the past. And after that particular response, he realized that he and the elf might have more in common than he'd initially thought.

"I want to go on an adventure," the boy suddenly declared. "I want to become strong, to make Lady Hestia proud. I want to become a Hero."

A Hero. Godou wondered if the boy truly knew what the word meant.

"That is a good goal to have, Bell Cranel," Ryuu remarked. "There are many who become adventurers for worse reasons. Do not lose sight of it, grasp it with all your might, and it may happen sooner than you think."

"I won't give up," he said. "I know what I need to do now. I'm going to have my own adventure!"

Godou kept very quiet. He didn't want to step on the boys dreams, but...there was a reason why so many legendary heroes met tragic ends. That was what it meant to become a Hero and to go on adventures. It meant overcoming hurdles and exceeding limits until one day...they couldn't.

He looked to Ryuu. She had a small smile on her face as Bell continued to express his determination. But the only thing he saw in her eyes were worry.

Godou wondered if the eavesdropping Syr shared the same sentiment as him and the Elf.

 **XxXxXxXxXx**

It happened when Godou was covering for Mama Mia at the bar while she used the bathroom.

The door to the Hostess slammed open with enough force that it caused everyone in the tavern to turn their heads and stare.

Godou stared.

He had been more than prepared to never see her again.

Red, fiery hair.

A fox-like grin.

And a lone finger pointing towards him.

"What are you doing, washing mugs and pouring beer, Kusanagi Godou?" Loki shouted, her smile never dropping. "Pack your bags and say your goodbyes! There's an Expedition tomorrow, or don't tell me you've forgotten about our little promise?"

No.

No no no no no.

This wasn't suppose to happen.

She couldn't just bust in here, pretending that nothing had happened.

He'd told her the truth and she'd called him a monster.

Ending their relationship had been his goal, one that he'd accomplished, if his memories served him right. She had been afraid of him. Terrified of what his existence meant to her own and the rest of the world's. She was supposed to have become his enemy.

"Loki?" he asked in disbelief.

"What? You can't possibly have forgotten about me after two short weeks now, have you?"

She was a stubborn one, wasn't she?

He'd killed her brother. Waved around his prized weapon as a spoils-of-war.

So why was she still here?

Was she stupid? Unaware that he could end her eons-long existence?

Or was she arrogant, and simply refused to believe him despite all the proof?

And just for a moment, he saw that smile falter.

It told him all he knew. She was still uncertain. She was still scared. But yet, here she was.

She just couldn't give up now, could she?

Why?

Why did she have to be so _god-damned_ sincere?

Her grin grew into a wide beam that showed off her teeth.

Why?

 _Why the hell was he smiling back?_

 **XxXxXxXxXx**

 **A/N: Good follow-up, bad follow-up? Let me know!**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: OMAKE! JUST PURE, FUNNY CHARACTER DYNAMICS AT ITS FINEST! SO MUCH FUN TO WRITE! Just a fair reminder that nothing that happens here has any impact on the _real_ story of this fic.**

 **Omake 1:**

 _Clang._

A bead of sweat rolled down her brow. She did not raise her hand to wipe it away. The unfinished product in her hand was in too precarious a state to divert even a moment's attention away.

 _Clang._

The bead of sweat trickled down her cheek, before coming to halt at the base of her chin, where it threatened to drip down and ruin weeks of hard work. The sweat of a God, no matter how diluted her power was in her mortal body, contained enough magic to disrupt the delicate array of charms and runes that enchanted her latest project.

 _Clang_.

In the best case scenario, it could power up her creation quite significantly. In the worst, it could set off a magical chain reaction, creating an explosion more than capable of destroying her entire forge—and her with it.

 _Clang._

Deftly, she adjusted her head slightly and watched the sweat droplet fall harmlessly to the ground.

She smiled to herself. No more distractions. Alone in her forge, hammer in hand, and her latest piece of art only a few strikes away from completion.

Just the way Hephaestus liked it.

 _Clang._

 _Clang._

Just one more strike.

She raised her hand up and took a deep breath. She couldn't call it her finest work. This was made with standard materials, after all. But that didn't mean she felt any less pride at it.

It was the job of a craftsman to make the extraordinary from the ordinary, and Hephaestus had every bit of confidence that whoever ended up using this sword would not find it lacking in any way.

Slowly, she exhaled. The tension left her shoulders. Her vision narrowed. Her senses sharpened. Unnecessary thoughts and stimuli were forcibly ignored by her brain.

In that moment, all that existed was her, and the soon-to-be-finished sword.

She swung down, closing her eye, knowing that the hammer would strike where it needed to, and mark the birth of her newest child with a reassuring and resounding _'Clang'._

 _BAM!_

Her body jolted from the shock of suddenly having the door slammed open, and Hephaestus snapped open her eye and heaved a sigh of relief when she saw that her hammer had stopped mere millimeters above the blade. A fraction of a second later, and she may have shattered the whole thing.

A familiarly annoying, high-pitched voice sounded out. "Hephaestus! There you are! I was looking all over for you!"

The safety of her sword accounted for, relief seeped away and irritation flooded in.

" _Loki_ ," she said, trying hard to sound calm. "Didn't you see the _'Forge In Use'_ sign?"

She turned around. Loki was beaming widely at her, and strapped across the redhead's back were two long objects that were wrapped up in bandages.

"I did," Loki said, seemingly unable to contain her excitement. "That's how I knew you were here!"

Hephaestus felt her eyebrow twitch. It was the second time Loki had barged in uninvited this week already.

"Anyway," Loki continued, striding over. "Remember when I came over a few days ago and asked you to teach me how to build a sword?"

" _Forge_ a sword," Hephaestus corrected out of instinct. "And yes, I do." She hadn't been thrilled at the prospect, and the only reason she'd agreed at all was because she'd learned her lesson after Hestia; the fastest way to get rid of stubborn, annoying goddesses was to just give them what they wanted.

Loki's grin got even wider. She start vibrating on the spot from sheer excitement and Hephaestus began to feel worry.

Then she heard it.

The sound of metal striking metal. The soft _clink_ when a sword's guard met its sheath.

Her eye was immediately drawn to the objects hanging on Loki's back.

"No," she said, her lone eye growing wide.

Loki nodded her head violently.

"It's been three days!"

"I know!" Loki said. "Not bad, right?"

"You can't forge a sword in _three days_."

"Oh. I didn't," Loki said.

Hephaestus felt much comfort at her admission. Her gaze flicked back to her work-in-progress. She'd been working on it for almost two weeks now, and that was _after_ she'd gotten her Familia members to prep the materials for her.

If Loki had somehow managed to forge a sword in a fraction of that time—

"I forged _two_ of them."

Hephaestus' blinked.

"You wanna see?" Loki asked excitedly.

Of course she wanted to see. There was _no way_ Loki could've done it. She hadn't had a clue about the fundamentals of smithing before this. And Hephaestus was quite certain Loki had been zoning out more than half of her lecture that day.

And even if she hadn't, swordsmithing wasn't something one could learn from a lecture alone. The mental discipline and awareness to maintain the consistency behind each blow of the hammer. The sharp eye needed to watch as molten steel flooded its iron cast. The artists' pride to accept nothing better than the _very best_.

Those things took time and practice, and the idea that Loki had made not one, but _two_ swords, a few days after her first time in a forge was downright insulting to her.

It took everything for Hephaestus to maintain her disinterested facade and nod her head slightly.

She couldn't wait to wipe that smug grin off Loki's face as she went over each and every mistake and flaw in her abominations.

Loki unslung one of them and held it out to her. Making a distasteful face and sticking out her tongue, the redhead said, "I call this one _Lancelot_. She-it's the uglier of the two."

Carefully, Hephaestus accepted it. If she dropped the 'sword', it might break after all.

But the moment Loki released her hands and Hephaestus felt the true weight of the sword, she knew something was wrong.

Something was very wrong.

The sword felt too... _right_.

It couldn't be. It was perfectly balanced. Solid and firm, Hephaestus knew immediately that what she held in her hand was a broadsword. She'd made enough swords in her eons of existence to identify their types by touch alone.

"Loki," Hephaestus said. "This is a sword."

Loki gave her an odd look. "Yes, Hephaestus. That is a sword. I thought we'd gone through this already."

"No, that's not what I meant. This is an _actual_ sword. One an adventurer would have no problem bringing to the Dungeon and betting their life on."

"What?" Loki asked. "Did you think I wanted to build a sword for Aiz-"

"- _Forge_ a sword-"

"-only for her to hang it in her room like a painting?"

"Yes," Hephaestus said. "That is exactly what I thought."

Loki harrumphed and looked away. "Well, you thought wrong. Aiz is gonna use these swords in the Dungeon and she's going to _love_ them."

Hephaestus forced down the skepticism that rose from hearing those words. She'd doubted Loki just now, but the wrapped-up sword in her hands had quickly disproved _that_. She swallowed. She'd have to treat the weapon and, grudgingly she admitted, its creator with the respect they deserved.

She set it down on the table, and ignored the big grin on Loki's face as she went about unfurling the bandages that covered it.

The light came so suddenly she instinctively brought a hand up to protect eye. For the briefest of moments, Hephaestus had thought she'd cast a look at the Sun, only to remember that she was in her Forge, where the only light came from the torches on the wall and the hearth in the middle.

Then...where had the light come from?

"Not bad, right?" Loki asked.

Hephaestus looked down. Glistening steel greeted her gaze, and she had to squint for a few seconds as her eye struggled to comprehend the sheer radiance of the polished sheen in front of it.

And this was just the sheathe.

As more of the bandages came off, Hephaestus was acutely aware of the increase in brightness in her normally-dark Forge.

Delicate engravings on the pristine metal told a story, and Hephaestus forced herself to bear through the glare to read it.

An orphaned child, taken in by the Spirit of a lake. Trained by the Spirit, the child grew up to become a Knight and-

Hephaestus stopped when she realized something. She looked at Loki.

"What?" the other goddess asked.

She looked back down at the sword. It was one thing to forge a sturdy and good sword. It was a whole separate matter to beautify it as well. The delicate diagrams etched into the scabbard were pretty. That was all they were supposed to be. So why had she felt the magic in her body tremble when she'd read them?

"Loki," she said. "Is this a magic sword?"

"Yeah."

"I never taught you how to imbue magic into metal."

"It's easy! Magic is one of my domains, you know."

No. It wasn't easy. It was the most difficult aspect of forging a sword, and most smiths wouldn't even consider learning to do it until they had a few years under their belt.

Magic was volatile and unpredictable. The rigid, static nature of metal made them difficult to combine. It was why magic swords were so valuable, and why they were more likely to break. Magic and swords were inherently incompatible. There was constant a clash between the natures of the magic and the metal, and a poorly-trained smith would have that tension literally explode in their face before the sword was ever completed.

Imbuing magic into a sword was the highest level of swordsmithing there was, and Loki had dared to call it easy.

Hephaestus would have berated her right there and then. There was just one problem.

The sword before lacked the inner turmoil that most magic swords had. It was why it had taken her so long to recognized the arcane power that lay beneath its shining surface.

She couldn't hold back. Deciding to further inspect the beauty of the sheath later, she pulled out the sword from it.

The gasp forced itself out of her mouth.

She'd crafted countless weapons in her life. The weapons in her Forge in Heaven could part seas with a single swing, bisect mountains with a clean slash, pierce into the Earth's core with straight thrust.

But none could manage to steal her breath away with a single glance.

Layers of layers of enchantments were woven into the metal itself. Seamlessly. Expertly. Magnificently. The sword's metallic finish completely betrayed the unadulterated magic that made up its true core.

She could not tell where metal ended and magic began. Loki had managed to layer attribute after attribute, and had bestowed the sword countless enchantments, when the finest smiths in her Familia could only give _two_.

Indestructibility.

Unparalleled sharpness.

Reduced weight.

Even one that repelled blood to make sure the unblemished blade stayed that way after slaughtering an army.

Some were so complex even Hephaestus could not recognize them.

And beyond those attributes, Loki still had the room to give the sword an affiliation to _water_ , the second most difficult element after air. Water was a liquid, free-flowing and shapeless. It skirted away from its obstacles, the complete opposite to metal, which met them head-on. But Loki had somehow managed to circumvent that. With enough time, water could carve canyons into the earth. And at high enough speeds and pressure, cut through rock. And with iron dust mixed into it, cut through _anything_ Nature could throw at it. It was unthinkable. Loki had managed to convince the metal to take water, its natural antithesis, as its _vessel_.

Hephaestus wasn't done. Layer after layer, secret after secret, impossibility after impossibility. For a swordsmith, it was a goldmine of breakthroughs and techniques. Too many, in fact, and there came a point where her mind simply couldn't continue. In her hands, she held the single, greatest sword she had seen.

 _Lancelot_.

Her shaking hands laid the masterpiece back onto the table.

"Neat, isn't it?" Loki asked, grinning.

She gulped. How could Loki stand there and smile so easily? Did the other goddess not understand what she'd done?

She cast a glance at the sword again. Wars could be fought over it. It wasn't a far fetch to say that anybody who mastered it could become a threat to the Gods themselves. And that was the problem.

Loki had made that sword for Aiz Wallenstein.

Which meant that Aiz Wallenstein was about to about to become the most powerful mortal on the planet.

"Hephaestus, you look pale, is something wrong?"

"Loki, I'm going to ask you a very serious question, and I want you to tell me the truth."

"Okay."

"Did you use your Arcana to make this sword?"

"Um, no? I wouldn't be standing here talking to you if I did, would I? I'd be sent back."

"Then _how_ did you make this sword?"

Loki tilted her head and looked fairly confused. "I just did what you told me. All that stuff with the hammers and fires and anvils. And then, when I was done, I added some trademark-secret Loki Magic!"

Hephaestus did not believe her. There was no way Loki could have managed to forge _Lancelot_ just like that. But that begged a bigger question.

 _Who did_?

Her Familia was already one of the best Blacksmith ones out there, and there wasn't such a large gap with any of her rivals that they could make something like _this_. _Lancelot_ was a weapon that was simply beyond mortal comprehension. A God _had_ to be involved in its creation.

"You don't believe me, do you?" Loki accused.

Hephaestus shook her head.

"Hmph." Loki looked away. "Tell her, Lancelot. Tell her I built you and that I'm the best God ever."

Hephaestus blinked. Then she looked down at the sword.

"Loki built me and she-" the female voice sighed "-is the best God ever."

Hephaestus blinked again. "Did your sword just talk?"

"Mhmm!" Loki nodded her head excitedly. "Cool, ain't it?"

This time she blinked several times in rapid succession. "You built a talking sword," Hephaestus said.

" _Forged_ a talking sword," Loki said. "Tsk tsk, Hephaestus. Rookie mistake."

"I-"

"Oh yeah!" Loki said. "I almost forgot! I have a second sword here. What's its name again? Ame...Tsururugi...something something? Man, that's a long name. Wanna see?" Loki unslung the second sword from her back and held it out to her.

"I...I..." Hephaestus looked at the wrapped sword, then back at _Lancelot_ again. "I've had enough for today, Loki."

 **XxXxXxXxX**

The moment Loki left her Forge, muttering something about showing her a _hammer_ the next time, Hephaestus leaned against the nearest wall and sunk her body all the way to the floor.

Her gaze landed on her own creation, one strike away from completion, still lying where she'd left it.

She sighed.

She could complete it tomorrow.

 **XxXxXxXxX**

 **A/N: So. This was fun to write. But I had to end it kinda prematurely because I didn't want to spend so much time on a Omake (I was getting a little too into it, tbh). On that note, for those still not aware, this fic will be on hiatus until Danmachi S2 is done airing. I've got ALOT of GREat IDEas regarding the Familia War with Apollo, but I'd like to see how everything pans out before setting anything in stone.**

 **On that note: I'd just like to thank everyone for the support you've given me! On SB, the previous chapter was the first one to break the 300Likes mark, and on FF, we're going to hit 3K Follows soon! Can't wait to update the main story again.**

 **P.S., since this is an Omake, it's not Beta-ed and I didn't really proofread it. So do bear with any weird writing or mistakes!**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Next chapterrrrrrrr. Is. Finally. Here! Thank you for all your patience! (and no thank you to all the impatient ones). Anyway, this chapter took really long even after Danmachi for 2 reasons. Firstly, I had no idea how to live up to the previous 2 chapters. Then I realized I didn't have to. Fk it, I thought, and wrote what I wanted to write. The second reason is because I'm starting a few original projects and those will unfortunately take priority. I wrote this chapter in really short chunks at a time (I think the longest addition was barely 600 words). Anyway, sadly, the slow updates will likely continue for the foreseeable future as I try to hone my craft by working on my own original world and my own original characters. I can't keep writing with training wheels forever.**

 **Chapter 13: The Expedition (Part One):**

"You know Godou, I'm really happy that we decided to do this."

"You mean, you're really happy that _you_ decided to do this."

"I just feel we haven't been talking much lately. It's almost like you've been hiding from me!"

"Loki, I've been at the Hostess every day for the past week."

"And sometimes it just feels like you're not interested in what I have to say, Godou."

"By the way, Loki—"

"But now that you've joined our Expedition, I feel that we can really take this chance to get to know each other more!"

"Loki—"

"And I think things between us will only get better from here."

"Loki—"

"Stop interrupting me, Godou! Can't you see we're having a moment?" Loki stopped walking and gestured all around. "It's our first time in the Dungeon together!"

Godou sighed. "That's the problem, Loki. We're in the _Dungeon_."

"Yeah, so?"

"Gods aren't allowed in the Dungeon."

Loki scoffed. "That's just a guideline. And I didn't see _you_ leaving that Lancelot girl outside before coming in."

"That's different."

"Different, how?"

"Different in the sense that she's technically a part of me."

Loki winced. "Well, if she's already going to be in the Dungeon, then it doesn't matter that I decided to tag along, right? One, two goddesses, what's the difference?"

"What's the difference, she says?" Finn said, mockingly, trotting beside them. "I'll tell you the difference, Loki. Three kilograms of food, five liters of water, and an extra body we need to look out for."

"It's alright, Finn. Godou will protect me," Loki said confidently.

Godou raised an eyebrow. Well, of course he would. But why bring it up so happily in the first place? Loki was a God. He would've thought Gods didn't like admitting they needed mortals' help.

Then she tapped her satchel. It _clunked_ and _swished_ , and Godou felt his cheek twitch at the familiar sound.

"And don't worry, I brought my own supplies!"

Finn looked skeptical. He flipped her bag open and fished something out.

"This is a bottle of wine, Loki."

"Yeah, of course! There's no booze in the Dungeon, right?"

"Did you bring anything other than booze?" the Pallum asked.

"Nope."

Finn slumped his shoulders. He gave Godou a sympathetic look. "A word of warning, it's not going to be easy getting used to her."

Godou groaned. He turned around and saw the rest of the advance party more than a few paces behind, watching him from afar with curious and—in the case of Bete Loga—wary eyes. Everyone in Loki's Familia had come under the impression that the two of them were now a couple. For some reason, they all knew about the kiss, and the wide berth they were giving him hadn't provided him much of a chance to defend himself.

And Loki's attitude wasn't helping in the slightest. She latched onto his arm and pressed it against her body as she purred, "Godou's already used to me."

He yanked his hand away.

Even if she was a God of mischief, this was taking it a little too far, wasn't it?

He turned back to Finn. "You shouldn't have let her come," he said accusatorily.

The Pallum shrugged in resignation. "You talk as if she listens to me."

"I _do_ listen to you, Finn!" Loki said.

"Yeah, sure," Finn said. "But I'm serious about what I said earlier. If _two_ Black Goliath's drop on our heads while we're in Rivira, you're going home straight away."

"Fine," Loki said, crossing her arms. "But I'm sure that won't be a problem. We haven't come across a single monster at all!"

They were still in the Upper Floors, and Godou remembered that the last time he'd come to the Dungeon with Shakti, something like this had happened as well. Not a single monster had approached them so far, though occasionally, Godou could hear the sound of scampering footsteps.

He caught Finn staring at him.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing," the Pallum replied. "Just wondering how much money you could make if you marketed yourself as Monster repellent."

He smiled. He liked Finn. The fact that the Pallum was accompanying him instead of leaving him to be alone with Loki was already a priceless favor. He was sharp, easy and straightforward to talk to, but also managed to maintain a comfortable distance between the two of them. He was sure that if Loki wasn't walking with them, he'd come to like the Pallum even more after a few conversations.

"Still though," Loki said, raising her arms and putting them behind her head. "It's kind of boring considering this is my first time here."

"We're going to the Fifty-Ninth Floor," Finn said. "It hardly gets more exciting than that."

"Yeah, but that's so far away! Why can't something exciting happen _now_?" Loki whined.

They stopped in their tracks when a bloodied young girl, wearing a hooded cloak stained with her blood, streaks of it still dripping down her cheeks, burst out of the darkness and sunk to her knees.

She pointed the way she had come.

"Minotaur," she said, trying to catch her breath. "Minotaur here. Too... too powerful."

Finn tensed up next to him. "There aren't supposed to be Minotaurs this high up."

"Please," she said, getting to her feet unsteadily, "you have to help Bell."

A gold flash was all Godou saw.

 _Bell_?

"Aiz!" Finn called out. "Where are you going?"

Godou shot Loki a look.

She crossed her arms. "It's not my fault," she said. "I'm like, ninety-nine percent sure."

Then Godou chased after Aiz Wallenstein, the rest of Loki's Familia right behind him.

 **XxXxXxXxX**

Godou hadn't thought about Ottar since that incident with Freya in Babel.

In the Dungeon, the King of Orario seemed bigger, stronger, and way unhappier than the last time Godou had seen him.

Or maybe that was because he'd stopped Ottar's sword with his bare hand.

He turned behind, where Aiz was staring at him with wide eyes and an agape jaw.

"Go," he said.

Aiz blinked a few times, before muttering a soft thanks and disappearing into the darkness.

Ottar clicked his tongue and Godou finally turned back to the Level 7.

"I'm guessing Freya's involved."

The Boaz pulled his sword out of Godou's grip. " _You_."

The sound of skidding footsteps behind announced the arrival of Finn and his Familia. The young girl from before was being carried by Riveria, unconscious.

Godou pointed to the direction where Aiz had gone and, a quick nod later, Bete, Tiona, and Tione ran after her.

"Ottar," Finn said, a sharp edge of steel in his calm voice. "I didn't expect you of all people to be here."

Ottar shifted his massive frame to block the tunnel. "I am an adventurer. Where else would I be but the Dungeon?"

"You _know_ that's not what I mean," Finn said. "Are you acting on Freya's orders?"

Godou gulped. Of course Ottar was. He _had_ to be. The timing was too coincidental.

Something flashed across the Level 7's face.

"No. I'm here on my own accord."

"Then you won't mind if we pass through, will you?" Finn asked again, pressing forward, spear twirling in his hand.

"Unless, of course," Riveria joined him, "you have a reason for impeding the Loki Familia's expedition."

The two Level 6s stood next to Godou, and he could feel the cool confidence they exuded together.

He wondered if two Level 6s were as powerful as a Level 7, given the strange way the Falna measured people's strength.

"No," Ottar finally relented, "I have no reason to interfere in your expedition."

"Good," Finn said, lowering his spear. "And I was worried that we were going to have a problem with Freya after this."

The Boaz's scowl was quite obvious as he stepped back to let the two of them through.

But when Godou tried following, he found a sword blocking his way.

He gestured to Finn and Riveria to go ahead. The two shared a look and nodded.

"Can I take this to mean, Kusanagi Godou," Ottar said, "that you have finally decided to ally yourself with Loki and her Familia?"

"If I say yes?" he asked.

"Then I will let you through. And then I will pass the word to Lady Freya that you have been claimed."

"And if not?"

"Then I will fight you here," the Boaz said, his tone of finality making it clear that Godou had no say in this.

The answer seemed fairly intuitive to Godou.

"I'm affiliated with the Loki Familia _temporarily_."

At this, Ottar raised an eyebrow. "Temporarily?"

"Just until the expedition ends."

The Level 7 deliberated on this. Finally, he kept his sword, and Godou found his path clear.

"I suppose Lady Freya will be quite pleased to hear that," Ottar said. "Her offer still stands, just so you know."

"And my decision still stands as well."

"You might want to reconsider your stance against Familias," Ottar said. "Dangerous games are afoot, and most would think twice about harming you if you were a member of a powerful one."

Godou stared him down easily, despite being more than a whole head shorter. "I can take care of myself."

"So it seems."

And then Ottar left, and Godou waited until his massive frame was swallowed by the darkness before clearing his throat.

"You can come out now, Loki."

The redhead melted out of the shadows, her lips pressed into a very grim line.

"This is bad, Godou."

"I agree."

"You never told me that you met Freya."

Of course, she'd be more concerned over that. "Why would I tell _you_?"

"Or that she invited you to join her Familia."

"Well, I didn't join, so it doesn't matter."

Loki was suddenly next to him, a very sly smile on her face. "Was there a particular reason you didn't join?"

"Yeah," he said. "Hanging around with Gods only brings trouble." Then he started walking towards the direction the rest of Loki's Familia had gone.

"You're an idiot, Godou," Loki said, following him.

 **XxXxXxXxX**

 _"Levels. Are just. A number!"_

Those words continued to echo in Finn's mind as he watched the boy who had defiantly roared them fight the Minotaur.

Bell Cranel was the only adventurer in the cavern who could not kill the Minotaur in a single strike. And it was because of this, Finn knew, that the fight was important only to him.

"A Level 1, trying to fight a Minotaur?" Tione said, shaking her head. "Too foolhardy."

"There's no helping it, is there?" Bete said derisively. "I'd be sick and tired of being saved by Aiz too, if I were him."

A small grunt came from the Sword Princess. A swing of the Minotaur's arm and Bell Cranel was sent flying. A hand reached for her sword protectively, but Finn saw Aiz relax slightly when Bell stood back up.

"He's like the Argonaut," Tiona said. "He keeps getting back up."

"That's what heroes do."

A new voice emerged, but Finn, unlike the others, didn't turn behind to see who it was. He recognized Godou's voice by now.

Kusanagi Godou came to a stop next to him, a grumbling Loki at his side.

"Ottar?" he asked.

"He left," Godou said.

Finn felt relief. He had been slightly worried about leaving Godou alone with the King, but he supposed if anyone would be alright with the Strongest Adventurer, it would be Kusanagi Godou. He wouldn't admit this to anyone, but he wished to watch the two of them fight someday.

"We're not helping him?" Godou asked, pointing to Bell Cranel.

The rookie adventurer expertly rolled away from a slash, and the Minotaur's Landform sword sliced through hard rock cleanly.

"He doesn't want it," Riveria said, setting Bell's unconscious Supporter to the ground.

Finn saw Godou's face, normally calm, twitch for a moment. Then it relaxed again.

"He doesn't need it," Godou said.

Loki calmly looked up. "What makes you say that, Godou?"

"He's got _that_ look."

Everybody in the Familia suddenly turned to look at Godou, who continued to observe the battle as if nothing was amiss. Finn was quite aware that his desire for further clarification was mirrored by everyone else.

"That look?" Loki asked.

"Just watch," Godou instructed, and just like that, they turned back to Bell Cranel and the Minotaur.

And just in time, too, because the boy twisted and spun in the air before managing to sink his dagger into the forearm of his bovine foe, eliciting a roar that caused the whole room to shudder.

"Wait a minute," Bete said in disbelief. "Isn't he just a Level 1 that started a few weeks ago?"

"Levels are just a number."

Finn felt his thumb twitch.

His eyes widened as he looked up at Godou, who was still transfixed on the battle. But something had changed.

Kusanagi Godou was _smiling_.

"That fool!" Bete suddenly yelled.

Finn turned back and understood why everyone was suddenly alarmed.

Bell Cranel was now charging headlong towards the Minotaur.

He had claimed the Landform sword as his own, wielding it with his right hand, while his left continued to grip the dagger that Finn knew just by looking had been crafted by a master.

But more weapons did not mean more power. The Minotaur had strength that surpassed a Level 2's. Taking advantage of its stupidity and clumsiness was how lower-leveled adventurers were supposed to tackle it.

Not by taking part in a direct contest of strength.

A wave of indecision hit him.

The Minotaur lowered its head, aiming its signature weapon—its horns—at Bell Cranel, before launching into a charge of its own.

Save the boy?

Bell Cranel let out a shout as he raised his sword into the air.

Or let him—

"He's won," Kusanagi Godou declared.

Even Aiz tore herself away from the battle for a split second to stare at the man in wonder.

Finn, who was used to fighting monsters bigger, faster, and stronger than Minotaurs, had up to this point watched the battle in almost slow-motion.

But now it seemed as if time itself had slowed to a pathetic crawl before him.

The Minotaur moved first. It tilted its head so that its horns were now inches away from Bell's chest.

Just before it could even scratch Bell's armor, a Landform sword struck it, blocking its path.

The Minotaur twisted its head even more, and the curved bone snapped the blade into two.

But that was all the opportunity Bell had needed.

An opening had been created, and he slid below the Minotaur on his knees, and stabbed his dagger straight into its gut, becoming so deeply entrenched in the belly of the monster that only the hilt, wrapped in his gauntleted hands, could be seen.

The Minotaur roared and brought a muscled arm up.

"Firebolt!"

The hand stayed up, but plumes of smoke and flecks of blood were spat out by the Minotaur.

" _Firebolt_!"

This time, it gurgled out a fountain of ichor, and Finn could see its piercing bovine eyes begin to boil.

But still, the hand stayed up. Fingers wrapped in leather hide and tipped with razor claws clenched into a furious fist.

It swung down.

" _FIREBOLT_!"

The Minotaur's hand disappeared, as did its head and the entirety of its upper torso, into a vortex of flame that erupted and spun violently into the air.

And then what little remained of it disintegrated into familiar, glittery dust.

Bell Cranel stood in the center of the sparkling rain, his armor charred black, arms hanging limply to his side.

His dagger dropped to the floor.

His body followed next, but was timely caught by a pair of arms.

Finn blinked. He hadn't even noticed Kusanagi Godou leaving his side.

"He's just passed out," Godou announced, laying the boy gently on the ground. "He'll live."

"Well, shit," Bete said hoarsely. "He actually did it."

"I can't believe it," Tione added.

Finn glanced at the unconscious boy. He'd seen the boy just a few weeks ago. For a newly-minted adventurer to take down a Minotaur after such a short period of time…there was only one other person who might have been able to achieve that feat.

He turned his gaze to Aiz, who was now walking towards the prone Bell Cranel cautiously.

Loki walked up and stopped next to him, in the silent and wary manner that Finn recognized as her being serious.

"That boy," she said. "That's Hestia's child, isn't it?"

Finn nodded. "Bell Cranel."

"His back!" Bete said, suddenly marching up. "Show me his back. Riveria, you can read his Status, right? There's no way this brat's a Level One."

Finn saw doubt soften Loki's face. But it hardened back instantly.

"Bete, stop," she commanded. "It's rude to look at other people's Statuses without their permission."

The Werewolf stopped and stared at Loki incredulously. "Are you kidding me? Loki, do you even know what we just saw?"

"Yes," she said evenly. "We saw a boy go on his first adventure."

And then her eyes narrowed, and Finn wondered why Loki sounded so upset until she added, "and I was very impressed by it."

He bit back a gasp. It couldn't be. But he kept his thoughts to himself first.

Godou, getting up from where he'd been kneeling by Bell's side, asked, "what do we do now?"

"Aiz, Riveria," Loki said, in a stately tone that befitted the leader of the Familia, "bring Bell and his Supporter out of the Dungeon and back to Hestia. The rest of us will push on. Meet us back on the 18th Floor."

As they hoisted the unconscious duo onto their backs, Finn turned to Loki, who looked deep in thought.

"Loki," he said, hesitantly, "when you said you were impressed…"

He let himself trail off.

His goddess still had her eyes glued to Kusanagi Godou, and Finn wondered if the connection between him and Bell Cranel went beyond that as a chef and a regular customer.

 _Levels are just a number_.

It couldn't be a coincidence.

Finally, Loki replied, "I said what I said."

"Does that mean…"

She nodded gravely. "Aiz's record has probably just been broken."

Finn's chest suddenly felt very heavy. "Bell Cranel. He's special, isn't he?"

"He has to be," Loki agreed.

"Do you think there's some kind of meaning behind it?"

There was a short pause.

"He's going to be a Hero. I'm sure of it."

"A Hero?"

At this, Loki's attention towards Kusanagi Godou became so focused that Finn couldn't help glancing at the black-haired man sitting on a rock as well.

"Yes, a Hero. Someone capable of slaying the greatest of monsters."

Then Finn understood. "You mean the One-eyed Dragon?"

Another pause.

"I hope so, Finn."

 **XxXxXxXxX**

They finally started seeing monsters.

But those monsters were quickly cut down by the seasoned adventurers of the Loki Familia.

Godou wondered if he should help out.

As if sensing his doubt, Loki shook her head next to him. "Don't call for Lancelot's powers. The Dungeon reacts violently to Divinity, so if my children can handle it without a problem, let them do it."

Slightly surprised, Godou nodded.

As if the sight of monsters had enacted a change within the goddess, Loki was finally beginning to walk, and talk, with a more dignified air.

He had been worried at first that Loki would behave like a child on a field trip, someone that would ogle and marvel at the monsters, fueled by the naïve euphoria of being in a place she'd never been before. No such thing happened. The God walked with a self-assured but cautious gait, content with observing whatever the Dungeon threw at them get eviscerated by her Adventurers, offering nothing more than an appraising eye and the occasional praise.

The change in her demeanor was almost jarring if Godou was honest with himself. He was aware that, like all Gods, Loki had a timeless existence's worth of wisdom and experience, but she seemed to wear so many masks, put on so many acts, that he couldn't tell whether the Loki silently trudging beside him was the real Loki or not.

It was all part of being a trickster goddess, he surmised.

"We're entering the Goliath's chambers now," Finn warned, as the path ahead of them began to be illuminated by familiar crystals that Godou recognized formed the walls of Rivira as well.

It had seemed so like so long ago, when he had defeated the Black Goliath, when he had first heard the word _Campione_ uttered by that beast-tamer's mouth, and that memory steeled his resolve as he remembered the main reason he'd returned to the Dungeon in the first place.

"Godou, Loki," Finn said, his grip around his spear tightening, "stand back. It won't take long, but the few of us here might not be able to stop all of the Goliath's attacks before we kill it."

He was reminded of the lethal blasts of compressed air from the last time, and he nodded, standing protectively in front of Loki as they finally stepped into the cavern.

The subsequent fight was almost…disappointing.

The Goliath that had broken through its crystal prison was smaller than its Black counterpart. Godou had found himself frowning when it roared. It was loud, but it didn't quite reverberate through his bones like it had the last time.

It had scarcely looked in his direction before a slash from one of the Amazoness twins had sliced its lower jaw clean off and it fell to the ground, a useless mound of teeth and flesh.

This Goliath did not seem to have the ability to heal from its wounds, and many were inflicted upon it in the veritable storm of teamwork of the Loki Familia that quickly turned it into a shower of dust.

"You've never actually seen my children fight for real, have you?" Loki asked.

He hummed in thought. The abilities he had seen so far might not have been as flashy as the mages of his old world, but Finn and the others more than made up for it in martial prowess.

"No," he admitted. "They're good."

The goddess grinned. "You haven't seen anything yet."

"Hey, you two!" Finn called out from the other edge of the room. "Let's get going!"

They followed the Adventurers.

 **XxXxXxXxX**

Finn and the others, while waiting for the rest of the Expedition force to catch up, had begun pitching the tents they would be staying in on a clearing near Rivira. The Captain had warmly asked him to explore the place, and Loki, who never did any kind of work on her own, had decided to follow him.

Walking through Rivira, Godou could hardly believe that the town had been invaded by those plant-like monsters and set ablaze just a few weeks before.

There were still signs of it, if one knew what to look out for. Scratch marks here. Scorched wood there. They had passed a small graveyard in the corner of the settlement, but Godou chose not to look too closely at that.

The people around him carried on with their lives as if their homes had not been sacked by monsters just a few weeks prior. It seemed the Loki Familia was well-known here, and stall-owners and passers-by alike would wave to Loki with looks of admiration, all apparently undisturbed by the goddess' presence.

"Once you enter the Dungeon," she explained, when he had asked about it, "people stop caring about the Guild's Laws. As long as nobody gets hurt, that is. Plenty of black-market goods and unsavory stuff going on in this place. Many people like it here. It's far away from the prying eyes and strict rules of the Guild and Orario."

Godou could see that. He had only seen Rivira from afar the last time, what with the monster invasion and the subsequent Black Goliath dropping on him. It had looked quite imposing. The walls were tall—taller than most of the buildings within—and made from thick wooden pikes that were woven so tightly together he doubted even water could seep between them. Watchtowers, with archers standing inside them, stood proudly and vigilantly above the wall. The surrounding area of the village had been cleared of the dense forestry that covered the rest of the Floor. Instead, intimidating wooden spears jutted out from the ground at close and regular intervals. Anyone, or anything, that wanted to get into Rivira through any other means than her front gate would most likely impale themselves in the process.

But inside, the settlement told a different story. A warm one. Life here seemed simple. Adventurers laughed and mingled together. The buildings were haphazardly placed, and the roads unpaved and crooked, but it added to the rustic charm of the place.

Back in his old world, Godou had once stumbled into a village while exploring a dense jungle to track down a Heretic God. It had been secluded, small, and Godou had absolutely loved the two days he had spent there. The locals had been warm and welcoming, treating him like one of their own. Its isolation had kept out knowledge of Gods and Campiones, and they had seen him only as a weary traveler in need of assistance.

He had been tempted to stay there longer, but with a Heretic God on the loose, he knew every extra second he did would only put that tightly-knit, homely village in more danger.

Godou got the same vibe with the city of Rivira. It may have been a city founded by Adventurers, but its citizens did seem to live in their own little world, hidden from the politics and string-pulling that plagued Orario.

His reminiscing was interrupted by a small, high-pitched mass running into him.

"Oof!"

He looked down.

A little girl had fallen on her butt. She was no taller than his hip. She looked up and gave him a cheeky smile before apologizing. Godou wanted to ask if she was okay, but she dusted off her frilly dress and then got back on her feet to chase another boy who had been laughing at her.

"There are children here," he said, slightly in disbelief.

Loki, biting into a meat skewer gifted by a shopkeeper they had passed, shrugged. "There are children everywhere. Why should Rivira be any different?"

"We're in the Dungeon. There are monsters here. This place gets invaded all the time. It can't possibly be safe to raise a child here."

"No one said it was safe. But it is safer than many other places."

"But the monsters—"

"—Can be killed by the Adventurers who live here, or by the dozens that pass through every day."

He frowned.

Loki finished eating, expertly tossing the leftover stick into trashcan across the street. "You really have no idea what it's like beyond the walls of Orario, do you?"

"No."

"We may have stopped the hordes of monsters that spilled out of the Dungeon centuries ago, but that doesn't that there aren't pockets of them still roaming outside the walls of Orario. It's easy to forget, living in Orario, that Gods and Falna-blessed Adventurers are a rare breed. Most villages in the outskirts have nobody they can rely on in case monsters attack."

"Nobody? And the Gods and their Familias don't step in?"

"Sure they do," Loki said, and Godou relaxed his fingers, which had balled unconsciously into his palms, "I know of Familias that specialize in tracking down and eliminating stray monsters. But their numbers are few, and the monsters are so widely dispersed and well-hidden that hunting them all is an impossible task." Her expression turned sour. "It is also a thankless one."

"And why do you say that?"

"Because it just isn't worth the effort. They're mainly low-Levelled monsters, and you can go weeks without seeing one. No adventurer is ever going to become truly strong by hunting them. Sooner or later, once they've got enough experience, they almost always end up moving into Orario instead."

His lips twisted into a scowl. "So those villages…they're helpless if a monster attacks?"

"I don't know, to be honest. I'm sure most of them have a plan of some sort," Loki said, "but there's nothing we can do about it."

"Nothing?" he repeated, balling his fists once again, "that's not true! You could—"

"—three weeks," Loki stated, the three fingers sticking out from her hand silencing him.

"What?"

"Three weeks is all it takes, if nobody enters the Dungeon, for monsters to start spawning at an uncontrollable rate, and they'll start overflowing out again."

"The Familias could take turns…"

"We already take turns," Loki said, "protecting Orario."

He raised an eyebrow at her.

She laughed. "What? Did you think this world was void of war? People have been fighting other people even before they started fighting monsters. Many of our neighbors are jealous that we have exclusive control over the Dungeon. The only thing that stays their hand is that our Adventurers are second to none. Imagine what would happen if a portion of those adventurers decided to start combing the forests outside for the elusive stray monster."

"They won't invade," Godou said confidently.

"Not at the start, they won't," Loki admitted, "but they can start picking off our numbers one by one. They will gang up and ambush the small parties sent to scout out for stray monsters. The Level Fives and Sixes will be fine, but they are few, and superior numbers can overcome anyone below that. Our strength will crumble, and the world will know true war once again."

They came to a stop in front of an inn. His eyes widened at the exorbitant prices written on its sign. He looked around. This was the only one in sight.

"You look quite unhappy, Godou," Loki said, leaning forward to look at him.

"I thought this world would be simple. That you Gods would be the most troublesome lot." The subsequent words left a bitter taste in his mouth as he said them. "I now see that people will be people no matter what world I am in."

He saw something flicker in Loki's eyes. Surprise? Fear? Mirth? It bothered him that he could not tell.

"People will be people," she said, walking once more, leading him away from the inn. "That is not such a bad thing, you know."

She stopped in front of another building. This one did not look as pristine as the inn, but it exuded a warmth that the previous building did not.

It was the sound of children's laughter, he realized.

He looked at the sign, a plain wooden board with words painted in black ink, written quite obviously by an amateur with a brush.

 _Greta's Orphanage_.

"Those children…" he said, recalling earlier.

"Most of the children here have no homes to go to. Not even in Orario. They were born from trysts and affairs of adventurers, most of the time conceived in the very inn we just walked past. They used to be abandoned here, or even worse, on other Levels, free for Monsters to do as they pleased."

His fingernails dug so deep into his palms he could feel the warm trickle of blood begin to flow. People. Sometimes he despised them too.

"Even if they were taken to Orario, it would not be a much better life. Unwanted by their parents, who would take care of them? The orphanages are already understaffed and under-resourced, no thanks to the irresponsible ways of the Pleasure Quarters. Death may as well have been a kinder fate."

And then, to his surprise, Loki smiled.

"And then Greta came along. She was probably the luckiest of those babies. An old adventurer took pity on her and raised her. Taught her to defend herself. She joined a Familia. Trained to become stronger. By the time she retired, she was a Level Four, and had amassed a rather sizeable fortune. Then she moved here, set up the orphanage, and took care of those unwanted children, teaching them how to be adventurers. Those that graduate from here…they are now highly vaunted among the Familias of Orario. They are the ones that have lived through countless monster sieges, after all."

His rage ebbed away. Fingers relaxed and shoulders dropped.

"I still have all her letters."

Godou blinked. "She joined _your_ Familia?"

Loki nodded, her eyes never leaving the building. "Always asking me to break the rules and come visit her."

He nudged his head toward the entrance. "Then let's go. I'd like to meet her. She'll be pleased that you've finally come."

"No, she won't, Godou," her smile twitched, and with that twitch, all the warmth that had been in the redhead's eyes vanished.

"She died last year."

His mouth opened. No words came out.

"She never told me in her letters she was running out of money. I never knew she'd been going back into the Deeper Floors, hunting monsters with outdated equipment and an aged body, to make ends meet. I only learned why the letters stopped when one of her children came to me and told me she'd gone into the Deeper Floors and never returned."

Finally, he found his voice. "I'm sorry, Loki."

"So am I," the redhead said softly. Her gaze lingered on the orphanage a little longer. She blinked.

Suddenly, her eyes were pressed into thin lines and her signature fox-like grin reappeared, and the Loki in front of him was as bubbly and cheery as the day he'd first met her.

"But everything's alright now! One of the graduates came back to take her place, and I've been making sure that they haven't had any financial problems since!"

"Loki…"

"You know, Godou, I heard from Finn that there's a lovely spring somewhere on this floor where they enjoy taking their baths. Shall we go and find it?"

"Loki—"

"Let's go! An adventure to explore the Eighteenth Floor, START!"

And she marched off, and Godou had no choice but to follow her.

 _People will be people_ , he thought, _and Gods and will be Gods._

He smiled. It really wasn't such a bad thing.

 **A/N: Reviews/FAVs/FOLLOWS! (And likes for Spacebattles, please.)**


	16. Chapter16

**A/N: I'm uploading this through the mobile app since the website's down for me, so let's see how this goes.**

 **You guys have a flight delay to thank for this chapter; I started writing this while waiting on the tarmac and just about finished it when I landed. It might be weird for some of y'all but I really like how it turned out.**

 **Chapter 14: The Expedition (Part Two)**

It was a dark and quiet night.

But according to Finn, in the Safe Zone that was the Fiftieth Floor, it was always dark and quiet.

Godou didn't even know if it was night time outside the Dungeon.

Tents had been set up. He would be sharing with Finn. The Pallum stuck his head through the flap that served as the entrance.

"Godou, could you come out for a bit? I'm going to brief the Expedition Team for tomorrow."

He followed Finn out. The rest of the expedition had already gathered around the central campfire, their eyes all trained on Finn and him as they joined them.

Finn took his place at the center of the semicircle that had been formed. The conversations began to die.

Godou stood at the very back, leaning against a tree trunk. He saw Loki, her bright red hair giving away her position at the very front, right across Finn.

There was a small lake behind him. The women had bathed and washed their clothes already. After this briefing, it would be the men's turn.

Finn cleared his throat, and the remaining idle chatter ceased immediately.

"Everyone, good job on making it this far."

There were a few cheers and claps.

He thought they deserved more. He hadn't needed to use his powers at all. When they had faced the Balor earlier, Godou had thought his assistance was necessary. Even if the Monster Rex wasn't as powerful as a Divine Beast, it was something he knew no mortal mage in his old world would have been able to defeat. But Finn and the others had defeated through their own strength and teamwork. He still felt a little bad for underestimating them.

"But the real Expedition is only beginning now."

The clearing quieted down.

"For some of you," Finn's eyes met his, "you have never entered deeper than the Fiftieth Floor."

The nodding of heads scattered through the crowd told Godou he was not alone.

The Pallum pointed to a cave at the edge of the Floor. "Beyond that cave lies a part of the Dungeon that is completely different to everything we've experienced on the way here.

"For those of you who have gone in before and managed to return alive, you know that stopping is not an option."

A muttering of agreement spread through the crowd.

"Let me make this very clear," Finn said, and paused, "The Fifty-First Floor and beyond is incredibly dangerous. People have died there in the past and they will continue to do so in the future.

"I cannot guarantee your lives once we enter that cave. Neither can Gareth. Nor can Riveria. We will do our utmost best to protect you, but we have lost people before."

For a moment, the Pallum's face darkened, and his eyes dropped.

Godou found his gaze drifting to Loki, and even though he could only see her back, the way her shoulders tensed up did not escape his notice.

"For that reason, not all of you will be continuing on. I am going to read a list of names. If you are called, you will follow us. The rest of you will wait here. If we do not return in a week, return to Orario on your own."

Loki was the first to be called.

Godou was the second.

Finn kept reading out the names, and Godou was secretly pleased when he found that he recognized everyone on the list. He'd been making the effort to know the people on the expedition, even those from the Hephaestus Familia, though Tsubaki, Hephauestus' Captain, was the sole member from her Familia to be called.

When Finn finally dispersed the expedition, he met Godou's eyes and beckoned him over.

"I hope you were paying attention, Godou," Finn said, once Godou stopped in front of the Pallum.

"I was. I'll be fine."

"That's not what I'm worried about."

"Then—"

"He's worried about me," came a familiar voice from behind Godou.

Loki strolled up beside him. She wore a confident smile as she crossed her arms in front of her.

Judging from Finn's face, he did not want the goddess present.

But reluctantly, the Pallum sighed.

"If I die. If Garetha and Riveria dies. If every single adventurer that enters the cave doesn't return, it's not the end. We can be replaced. If she dies," the Pallum raised a hand and pointed at Loki, who didn't even react, "then it's all over. The Loki Familia is gone. Even if every adventurer makes it, it means nothing if our God dies."

"I'll protect her," he said.

For a while, Finn said nothing, only staring at him with cold, judging eyes.

Godou stared straight back.

Even Loki remained uncharacteristically silent.

Finally, the Captain of the Loki Familia relented, exhaling deeply. "I'm trusting her to you, Godou. Protect her. No matter what."

"I will."

"I'll see you later, then."

With that, Finn left, leaving Godou and Loki alone. The crackling campfire burned in front of them, and it was only now that he felt just how warm the flames were.

"Are you scared?" she asked.

"No."

"Good, because I'm terrified."

He looked at the goddess in surprise.

"I've forgotten what monsters are like. It's been so long since we drove them back into the Dungeon that I've forgotten just how terrifying they can be."

"Your Familia have been handling themselves just fine so far."

Loki shook her head. "Everything we've seen so far is nothing. You saw the Balor, didn't you? In the past, they used to roam the lands in _packs_. And there were even more hideous creatures that could have squashed them underfoot."

"They won't be in the Fifty-ninth floor," he said reassuringly, "I think."

"That's the problem, isn't it? Nobody knows what we'll find there."

"I'll protect you."

Loki looked up to him. Her mouth quivered slightly.

"It's not me I'm worried about."

"But Finn said—"

"FINN'S WRONG!"

He kept quiet as she slammed a fist against his chest.

"Finn's wrong," she repeated, softer, but somehow more forcefully than the first time. "He's not replaceable. None of them are. Why would he say that?"

"Because he cares for you and the Familia."

"But that's not how it works! I'm immortal. I can't die. And I can be replaced. The only thing I do is give Falnas and update Statuses. Any God can do that. If I die, just give my Familia to Hestia or Hephaestus. They'll do just fine in my place."

"It'll be different—"

She glared at him and his mouth snapped shut.

"Are you saying things will be the same even if Finn dies?"

"No," he said softly.

"Listen to me, Godou. I want you to forget everything Finn told you. If there ever comes a point where you have to pick between me and my adventurers, pick _them_."

"But—"

She clasped his hands into hers.

"Promise me, Godou."

He gulped. "I promise."

"Thank you."

And then she smiled again. She tugged on his hand, still linked to hers.

"Let's just walk around like this for a while."

 **XxXxXxXxX**

Loki's 'a while' lasted for a whole hour.

Refusing to let go of his hand, she physically dragged him across the entire campsite, bouncing from one tent to another, talking to every single member of her Familia she could find.

For those that would not be following tomorrow, she promised to tell them the stories, and to bring "lots of goodies" when she returned.

When Anakitty began to cry and begged Loki to come back safely with the rest, Loki sat there and held her for five minutes in silence.

It had been a very awkward five minutes for him.

And to those following, Loki left them mostly alone. The Amazoness twins, Tione and Tiona, were sparring with each other in the nearby forest. Aiz was already asleep. Bete stood broodingly in front of the cave. Finn and the two Vice-Captains were holed up in the command tent, going through maps while discussing strategy.

The only person Loki sought out was the other Elf, Lefiya.

Godou had honestly been surprised when Finn said her name. For most of the trip, she had kept mostly to herself, never drifting far from Riveria and Aiz, whom she seemed most familiar with. But from what little he had seen, the young Elf did not appear mentally prepared for the daunting task ahead.

When Loki had stepped into her tent, Lefiya had launched herself into a hug, and because Godou was still latched onto Loki, he had been unwittingly tackled too. She had just begun her panicked outburst about her worries when her eyes met his and she had screamed and turned as red as a tomato.

On the bright side, her lack of comfort in his presence finally caused Loki to shoo him away.

By the time he reached the pool of water, there was nobody left.

Or so he thought.

"Finn!" he screamed, when a mop of wet blond hair broke through the surface next to him.

"Hello, Godou."

"You scared me. I didn't see you at all."

The Pallum frowned. "Are you making fun of me for being short?"

"What? No! I really—"

"I was kidding. I ducked under the water when I saw you coming."

"Oh."

"I heard about it, by the way. You and Loki's romantic stroll."

"Romantic?" he gasped out, "nothing about it was romantic!"

"You were holding hands."

"That-that..." he trailed off. They _had_ been holding hands.

"You know, I've never really seen Loki treat someone the way she treats you before. Not Aiz. Not even other Gods."

"There aren't many Campione around."

"You know that's not the only reason, Godou."

It was just him and Finn in the pool. Godou sunk lower into the water, until his chin was submerged.

"I know."

"I never thought the day would come where I'd see Loki would fall in love."

He pursed his lips. "Calling it love is a little...it's a crush. Nothing more."

"You sound very sure of that."

"It's a Campione thing. Gods and Campiones are attracted to each other. It's instinct."

"So you do like her."

"Not by choice," Godou grumbled.

"Still a good choice, I think."

"No. Gods and Campione aren't supposed to get along very well."

"You and Lancelot seemed to get along very well, if I remember correctly."

Godou felt his cheeks grow warm. "She's...different."

"Loki's pretty different too."

"Yes, I suppose she is."

"So? What are you going to do about her?"

"Nothing."

He kept his eyes forward, but he could imagine Finn starting to look upset next to him.

"She's trying really hard. I can see that. The whole Familia can see that. _You_ can see that."

"I know."

"And you're just going to pretend nothing's happening?"

"Yeap."

"I misjudged you, Kusanagi Godou."

The words stung like a slap.

"So did Loki," Godou added softly. "I'd rather she hate me."

"Yet you never truly push her away when she tries to get closer to you."

"I can't do that."

"And why not?"

"Because she is a good God. I don't want her to ever lose that."

He could feel the Pallum's stare drilling into him.

"You're a hypocrite, Kusanagi Godou."

"I'm only human," he mumbled.

 **XxXxXxXxX**

"I feel this is a rather demeaning position for someone of my station to be in," Loki commented.

"Well, since you can't run very fast, we don't have a choice, do we?" Godou shot back. "Unless you want to be burnt to bits, or strung up by a giant spider."

"Oh I have nothing against you carrying me," Loki said. "I was actually looking forward to it."

"Then shut up and enjoy the ride."

"My issue is how you're carrying me. I'm supposed to be draped in your arms, like a princess! Or at least piggybacked!" Loki said indignantly, from where she was slung across his shoulders, "not carried like a sack of potatoes!"

Godou would have shrugged his shoulders, but the additional weight on them made it difficult. "This is the only way I can keep my hands free to fight."

As if on cue, an unseen spider hidden in the darkness above spat out a thread of web at him, and he swung Lancelot, in her sword form, to deflect it away.

Finn hadn't been joking. The Fifty-First Floor _was_ a hellhole.

They had been running at an all-out sprinting pace for the past thirty minutes. The entire journey was expected to take several hours. And that was if they didn't get lost which, given that the labyrinth-like landscape here constantly changed, was certainly a possibility.

His respect for Adventurers had gone up considerably in the past thirty minutes.

"Take a left!" Finn, leading the pack, turned back to yell at them.

Godou veered left at the next fork. Their pace did not slow down.

It was dark in the Fifty-first Floor. Gray, stone walls formed a labyrinth, and the many cobwebs that hung from the ceilings and blocked passageways had initially given Godou the impression that it was going to be a slow and tedious endeavor to find their way out.

"How do you guys know where to go?" he asked Riveria, who was running alongside next to him.

"The labyrinth can only morph into so many formations. We've memorized them all."

"Oh."

"That's my Familia for you!" Loki said, patting his back, "always prepared! See, Godou? I told you the Expedition was going to be fun."

He had to remind himself that just last night, Loki had nearly broken down over the dangers her Familia was diving into.

Was she faking all this confidence for them? Or for herself?

"If this is your idea of fun, Kusanagi Godou, then wait till you see the dragons," Riveria said, chuckling.

"Hang on, dragons?"

"There's a giant nest of them on the Fifty-Eighth Floor."

"So we've still got a while to go."

"Not...exactly," Riveria said.

"We're entering the Fifty-Second Floor now!" Finn yelled from ahead, "everyone, keep one eye on the top and another on the floor! Don't get sniped!"

 _Sniped?_

And then the floor in front of him glowed red for the briefest of moments before a pillar of fire erupted through it.

 _That must be the dragons_ , he thought.

Riveria grimaced. "Welcome to hell, Kusanagi Godou."

His only thought was that Loki had somehow gotten heavier.

 **XxXxXxXxX**

" _Lefiya_!"

When the younger Elf fell through the smoldering hole in the floor, it was Loki who screamed first.

The goddess, still slung over his shoulders, struggled like a worm, but before she could wriggle out, he was already moving.

"Hang tight, Loki."

And then he jumped in and followed Lefiya down.

Hurtling through the still-scorching air, he spied the girl free-falling a short distance below him.

"Save her!" Loki pointed.

"Lancelot. Go."

The steel sword in his hand melted into a cool liquid that lunged forth like a serpent, snaking through the air before coiling around Lefiya in a tight grip.

The girl let out an audible scream, but stopped when Lancelot solidified herself into her human form that was carrying Lefiya in her arms.

Loki heaved a sigh, and he felt the goddess' body relax noticeably.

"It's not over yet," he said.

He could see the dragons below him, some circling in the air, others on all fours. But every single one of them had their reptilians maws unhinged at them, and orange spots began to glow between them as they prepared another barrage.

"Is Lancelot fireproof?" Loki asked.

"She's a knight," Godou replied. "And there's no one better to slay a dragon than a knight."

"My Lord!"

Lancelot's cry alerted him to the screaming object she'd hurled at him.

He caught Lefiya expertly, who made a stunned _eep_ upon being pulled towards him.

Lancelot's presence began tugging in his mind, drawing out the power he'd so far been doing his best to suppress.

Sighing, he acceded to her request.

There wasn't any other way to defeat the horde of dragons below him without relying on some Divinity.

The dragons fired, individual streams of fire joining together to form an inferno that shot towards them in a straight, unwavering beam.

"Erm. Godou?" Lefiya stammered, "your friend is melting."

"Oh, that? Don't worry. That's just her changing into her armor."

Lancelot's dark robes had liquefied, and a black ooze that flowed across her skin. When it covered every inch of her below the neck, it hardened into thick obsidian plates that wrapped her body like a second skin. A second later, a bright light burst forth from her body and it coalesced to form a shining kite-shield that she wielded with her left hand. Her right arm reached out and from thin air, a gleaming spear was called into existence.

"I thought knights had shining armor," Loki muttered.

"Only those that haven't had their metal tested," he said with a smile.

He could feel Lancelot's excitement. The goddess had been itching to fight ever since they first stepped foot into the Dungeon, and even though her back was facing him, he could envision the feral smile that radiated her lust for battle on her normally-tranquil face.

Like an oncoming freight train, the inferno slammed into Lancelot.

From above, it looked as if a crimson flower, with Lancelot at its center, had bloomed spectacularly; the flames were redirected in every other direction but up. The shield stopped the pillar of fire in its tracks, and not a single wisp of it made it beyond the invisible wall it made.

"Come, foul beasts! Is this all you have to offer?" the war maiden cried, once the flames had sputtered out of existence.

A large dragon standing on its hind legs had its jaw open, and a bright orange orb in its throat foretold another attack. With a single swift action, Lancelot hurled the spear in her hand and it raced towards the earth with the force of a meteor.

It sailed right into the dragon's agape mouth and slammed into the ground with a thunderous boom, echoing even through the hole they were still falling through.

The dragon exploded, disappearing into a ball of fire.

From her hip, Lancelot unsheathed a sword as she burst through the exit, immediately landing on a dragon flying below. She decapitated it in a single motion, and then used its falling corpse as a stepping stone to leap with inhuman strength onto her next victim. Headless reptilian carcasses rained down alongside them as Godou crash-landed onto the ground. He'd activated Verethragna's Camel Avatar, so his reinforced legs had absorbed most of the impact, but his teeth had still ended up smashing into each other painfully.

Lancelot landed next to them.

"There are a lot more dragons here than I anticipated," she said.

Godou looked around. They were in a giant cavern that stretched as far as the eye could see and tall enough that it could fit an entire city skyline. Dragons roamed the air in swarms, and whole armies of them littered the ground in numbers that could have razed entire nations. Most worryingly, however, were the large, caterpillar-like monsters Lefiya immediately identified as a new species of monsters that was the result of the strange happenings occurring within the Dungeon. They swarmed over the dead dragons in disturbing feeding frenzies.

"You can handle it, can't you?" Godou asked.

"Of course," Lancelot replied confidently. "Though in truth, I confess I am a little disappointed. These are not the dragons I am used to fighting against."

"You're _used to_ fighting _dragons_?" Lefiya asked, mildly horrified.

"Yes. The dragons I fought had impenetrable hides, cunning minds, and fire that could have melted Divine Steel. They were a _challenge_." She kicked a decapitated dragon's head with her armored boot, causing it to disintegrate into dust. "But these are nothing more than fodder. Their numbers, however, make total extermination tediously difficult. I will have to use my more... _creative_ abilities if I am to wipe them all out."

Lancelot looked at Godou hopefully.

"Fine. But don't go overboard," he said.

"Lefiya!" Loki suddenly said, finally climbing off his shoulders and patting the Elf on the back. "Don't just stand there and give Lancelot all the glory! You've been training really hard on your magic, haven't you? Show me what you've got!"

The Elf, from a nervous wreck, suddenly preened and looked proud. "Yes, Loki!"

The girl raised her staff and began chanting. Even Lancelot restrained herself and paused to watch.

" _Fusillade Fallarica_!"

The tip of her staff grew red hot. When she swung it down, dozens of red streaks exploded from it, shooting into the sky before hailing down on the closest dragons like homing missiles. The entire cavern rocked violently as an uncountable number of detonations occurred one after the other. When the smoke cleared, they were surrounded by craters, and every dragon within a thirty meter radius had been completely consigned into oblivion as the survivors warily took several steps back.

"Impressive," Lancelot said.

"Thank you," Lefiya said, averting her eyes away from the God's approving gaze.

Loki looked smug. "Try topping that, Lancelot."

The knight dipped her head slightly. "If you insist, Loki."

Godou sighed.

Lancelot flipped her spear and jammed its tip into the ground. Kneeling and clasping her hands as if she were praying, the sheer force of power behind the words that reverberated through the cavern did not match the small and slight movements of her mouth.

 **Heed My Call, O' Noble Warriors.**

The dragons stilled, craning their long serpentine necks up at the omnipresent voice. At the same time, Lancelot's armor began to drip—small, black, ink-like droplets that formed dark splotches on the dirt.

 **Take Up Your Swords and Don Your Armor Once More.**

All of a sudden, Lancelot's armor cascaded off her, leaving behind only the plain dark robes she normally wore. The black, murky liquid seeped onto the ground, spreading across the dirt to form a shadowy pool that grew wider with every passing instance. Soon it was an entire lake that encompassed the area of a football field. Lefiya and Loki lifted their feet, glancing at their soles and heaved a sigh of relief when none of the unknown liquid clung onto them.

The dragons roared, clawing at the obsidian lake that had engulfed their shadows.

 **We Are Enforcers. We Are Protectors. We Are Weapons Given Life And Purpose.**

Countless ripples raced across the surface. Like an unseen rain was pelting onto it, the dark lake trembled with Divine power.

 **Rise, My Brethren. Our Lord Has Demanded Our Service. Let Us Show Him Our Loyalty. Prove Our Resolve. Demonstrate Our Might.**

Amidst the chaos, they rose. Thin, worm-like strands that wriggled out of the surface until they were the height of a man. Then they grew arms, and their bases split to form legs. The blank and smooth surface of the liquid hardened and sharpened to form segmented plates of armor, black as night.

 **We Stand Before Monsters. But We Have Faced Worse. Their Flames Cannot Melt Our Iron Will, Cannot Outshine Our Noble Souls, Cannot Stand Before Our Invincible Strikes.**

Gauntleted hands unsheathed midnight blades. Armored digits drummed along the shafts of obsidian spears. Shadowy arrows were notched onto the drawstrings of black, wispy bows.

 **We Are Knights. We Stand Our Ground. We Are The Will Of Our Lord, And He Has Willed The Destruction Of These Foul Beasts That Have Dared To Infringe Upon His Territory.**

Slitted visors slapped down. A pair of crimson, angry orbs flared to life behind each and every one of them, glaring at their prey.

Still on her knees, Lancelot rose. Not on air, but on what little of the black liquid that remained, spurting from the ground like a fountain, lifting her up.

 **We Shall Carve Our Names Into The Flesh Of Our Foes. We Shall Trample Them Beneath Our Feet. We Shall Make Them Rue The Day They Decided To Stand Against Our Lord.**

The stallion that was born was as pitch-black as the liquid that had been used to cast it. Lancelot sat on its back, her arm reaching out and yanking the spear back out from the ground.

She raised it up and then lowered it against the nearest dragon.

The dragon roared.

The legion of Dark Knights roared back. It was a guttural, metallic, grating cry that felt plain _wrong_.

 **Charge.**

 **XxXxXxXxX**

A knight was swatted away like a bug. Its armor disintegrated into the individual plates and pieces that it was made of, and they scattered across the ground like shards of a broken vase.

The dragon focused on the next knight, but hesitated when the fallen pieces began rattling in their spots. Like a puppet on strings, the fallen knight was reborn, its components flying and stitching back together by themselves.

The dragon grunted in disbelief, and the resurrected knight rewarded its hesitation with a spear that sunk straight between its eyes.

It disintegrated into a glittery shower of dust, but unlike the knight, it did not come back.

Dragons fell in the dozens. Heads were lopped off. Hearts were pierced. Dragons with wings tattered by storms of arrows fell to the ground like flies, crashing into the ground with earthshaking force, and did not rise again.

The knights were not invincible. They were shattered by a single swipe. Crushed under taloned claws. Slapped away by long, muscular tails.

But they were unkillable, for what had no life could not be killed. Midnight figures walked through blazing tornadoes unscathed and unburnt. They rose from the dead, their limbs twisted at unnatural angles, but still able to grasp and swing their weapons with enough force to separate a draconian head cleanly from its neck.

A pair of red, lifeless eyes were the dying sight for many dragons.

For many others, it was the face of a beautiful warmaiden.

Lancelot charged straight into the center of the dragon's nest. Her steed galloped so fast that they combined to form a black blur that streaked through reptilian hordes, leaving behind showers of blood and piles of limbs in their wake.

A spear in one hand and a shield in the other, Lancelot carved a gory path through the host of dragons, and her Dark Knights followed her with blood-frenzied vigor, finishing off whatever survivors she missed.

"Show off," Loki said. "Why, if I had access to my Arcana, I'd show her!"

Godou ignored her. Instead, he directed his attention to Lefiya, whose trembling staff and agape jaw showed just how awed she was at the carnage around her.

"Your can use your magic if you like," he said kindly to the Elf, "I'm sure Lancelot would appreciate the help."

The girl looked up at him as if she'd just been woken up from a dream.

"Right!" she said, nodding her head enthusiastically. "I'll try my best too!"

While Lefiya wandered off to begin chanting and performing spells of her own, Loki gave him an appraising look.

"Thanks. She needed that. Lefiya's been working really hard and all she wants is the chance to prove herself."

 _She's trying really hard._

He winced as he recalled Finn's words.

"Godou, are you alright?" Loki rushed up to him, grabbing his arm with both hands. "It can't be easy on the mind, can it? Having a God inside you and channeling their power?"

He couldn't bring himself to meet her eyes and so he looked down, where her slender fingers were wrapped around his arm, and...

He blinked. How was he only noticing this now?

"Loki, did you paint your nails?"

"Huh?" the Goddess said, becoming flustered. "Ah, you finally noticed!"

She peeled her hands off him and displayed the back of her hand. "Not bad, isn't it? Fits my hair!"

It was badly done, if he were to be perfectly honest. The red paint was unevenly thick, and the inconsistent gradient showed that she had not applied it in the same direction. Not to mention she'd missed several spots, and that flakes of the glossy paint were already starting to chip off.

He swallowed. "Why?"

"Well, Riveria said it was about time I did, and so I tried doing it but I'm not sure if it turned out okay because I've never done it before so I'm not very good at this kind of stuff..." she trailed off, embarrassed. "What do you think, Godou?"

It took him a very long time for him to come up with a response, all through which Loki was looking up at him expectantly. He couldn't bring himself to lie to her, but the hopeful expression on her face also meant that he couldn't tell her his first thoughts.

"I like it," he finally said, "it really makes you look more... _human_."

"Really?" she said, her features lighting up. She started looking down at her nails with a silly grin on her face, "I'm glad."

He really wished she wasn't.

 **XxXxXxXxX**

Him and his big mouth.

When the last dragon fell, he had let out a happy sigh.

"Well, _that_ 's finally over."

The strong tremoring quickly proved him wrong.

The shaking got worse, and Loki and Lefiya had to lower themselves to keep their balances. Lancelot, who strode up to them on her mount, set her lips in a grim line.

"Something's coming," she said.

"Gee, you think?" Loki bit back, steadying herself.

Godou readied himself. The last time, a Black Goliath had been dropped on him overhead. He was still casting a nervous glance upwards when the entire floor they were standing on shifted, accompanied by the thunderous sound of cracking earth.

Even he lost his balance momentarily, while Loki and Lefiya fell onto their butts.

"There," Lancelot, still sitting steadily on her horse, pointed.

A giant crevice in the ground had been formed. Like a wound leaking blood, molten magma spilled out in frothy streams, and the nearest Knights lost their footing and tried to crawl away.

A giant black mass emerged from within the crack, and then slammed down, pulverizing a group of knights that had not managed to escape in time.

"Is that a... _hand_?" Godou asked.

"It's a claw," Lancelot replied evenly.

Talons, each the length of a school bus, dug deep into the earth, gouging out trenches as it tightened its grip. Scaly digits, coated in glimmering black scales, curled, and a muscular forearm wrapped in reptilian hide rippled with immeasurable strength as a second limb broke through the surface.

"I just remembered," Lefiya said weakly, "that there's a Monster Rex on this Floor."

The earth groaned, and Godou could swear the floor was tilting as both arms pressed down on the ledge they were gripping.

It was climbing up.

"Godou?"

A massive, black draconian head, with spiralling golden horns protruding through a bony crest, emerged from the crevice. Crimson eyes, with slit-like pupils, blinked menacingly at them.

"Yeah, Loki?" Godou said back, eyes not leaving the dragon's even once.

It unhinged its jaw, revealing a set of sharp teeth, each as tall as a tree. A tongue as wide as a highway snaked outwards.

"Do you remember what I said yesterday? About monsters that could easily crush a Balor?"

And then two more identical heads rose from each side.

"Yes. I don't suppose this is one of them?"

The dragon continued to rise, its arms straightening to the length of low skyscrapers as it pushed itself to the surface. When at last the three serpentine necks converged onto its main body, great leathery wings unfurled from its back, its total wingspan wide enough, Godou was sure, to cover a small town completely.

"No," Loki said, "I'm afraid not."

With a single flap, Godou had to shield his face from the tempest it created. Lefiya was blown off her feet and Loki latched onto his arm to avoid the same fate.

It beat its wings some more until the giant black dragon, its main body as large as an ocean liner, was in the air. When it landed, Godou had felt earthquakes that were weaker. Fissures and web-like cracked raced across the earth from where the ground struggled to support its weight, its hind legs creating craters from sheer force of weight.

Standing up right, the dragon was taller than the cavern itself, and when its horns brushed against the stalactite-covered roof, it lowered its three serpentine necks to leer at them while its body towered over them.

It exhaled sharply in a grunt, and Godou felt the hot air wash over his body.

" _This_ monster can eat _those_ monsters for breakfast," Loki said, gulping.

It roared—with all three heads. Heaven-piercing and ground-shaking cries that caused Godou to immediately cover his ears. Stalactites fell like giant icicles, threatening to impale them and one landed mere meters away, showering them with debris and chunks of rock.

His entire body was still rattling, his ears ringing, when the nearest knight hurled a spear at the oversized beast.

It bounced off harmlessly against the monster's midnight hide.

The head nearest to the knight swivelled slowly to meet its assailant, opened its mouth, and a stream of blue fire immediately reduced the dark knight to a puddle of black ooze that bubbled and boiled.

Godou swallowed from nervousness. Without a doubt, this monster was definitely on the same level as a Divine Beast.

Even Verethragna's Boar could not trample it. It already lost in size, and he was certain that the blue fire was also hotter than the fire the Boar shrouded itself in.

"This is why," Godou said to Loki, "this is _exactly_ why Gods and Campione shouldn't enter the Dungeon."

"For the first time, I think I agree with you, Godou."

The dark knights sunk into the ground. Black, armored plates began to regenerate themselves on Lancelot and her mount.

"Finally," the warmaiden said with a feral grin, " _a challenge_."

 **XxXxXxXxX**

Finn had figured that things were going to be okay when the dragons stopped trying to snipe them.

It meant that they were too busy focusing on Godou, or if he was lucky enough, that Godou had already managed to defeat them all.

His decision to not send anyone down after Godou and Loki to help Lefiya had been met with strong protest by the Familia; a quick reminder to Riveria and Gareth that Godou still had Lancelot with him silenced them and in turn, the whole party.

But he knew that his luck couldn't last that long when the entire Dungeon rattled and vibrated, and right before their eyes the monsters that had been assaulting them began to whimper and slinked back into the shadows.

The incident with the Black Goliath in Rivira came to mind, and he immediately suppressed the uneasiness rising in him.

Their previous expeditions had always been thwarted by the spawning of the Monster Rex on the Fifty-eighth Floor, and try as hard as they did, they had never managed to get past it. Aiz's recent Level Up had given him reason to be hopeful, but that optimism was going to be for naught if a Black Monster Rex was spawning in place of a regular one.

According to his calculations, it would take someone over Level Ten to single-handedly defeat it.

With the monsters scared off, the rest of their descent was unimpeded and smooth. It was an unsettlingly peaceful experience, navigating the mazes without needing fight their way through them.

On hindsight, he didn't know why they'd come down so fast. He'd kept his party from jumping after Lefiya because he hadn't wanted to hold Godou back.

The black, giant, three-headed dragon that popped into view once they emerged out of the cavern entrance had literally caused everyone to halt in their tracks and collide into each other.

It was twice as big as a regular one.

One head hung limply at its side, its tongue hanging out uselessly.

Another had a spear sticking out of an eye, and was swaying about, as if in a daze.

But the middle head was completely untouched, and it glared at them murderously.

"Finn! Get out of there!"

Loki's panicked cry echoed through the cavern.

"Go!" Finn ordered, turning around, "GO! GO!"

The rest of the Expedition scuttled to their feet, but a blue stream of fire smashed into the rocky wall above the entrance of the cave, and the whole structure melted into a molten heap of slag that blocked of the mouth.

Finn turned around. A mouth lined with serrated teeth taller than he was grinned.

Then it opened up and his world was engulfed in blue.

 **XxXxXxXxX**

The battle between Man and Beast was always meant to be one of indomitable will against unstoppable might.

Despite being a God, Lancelot's myth was human in origin, and that limitation meant that she had to rely on the human way to slay the dragon.

Basically, the slow way.

Her weapons, despite extreme durability and sharpness, were ordinary weapons that could only stab and slash. Her armor, despite being resistant to fire, was still starting to melt and sag at the edges under the unrelenting flames of the dragon. Her battle prowess, which was the epitome of technique and speed, mattered little to an opponent that relied purely on brute strength.

She could not finish this dragon in a single blow. But strike by strike, she drew blood, crippled it, and weakened it.

Her horse was fast, evading swiping claws and jets of fire with dexterous ease. It allowed her to get in close to deal attacks without getting hit. Slowly but steadily, she chipped away at the dragon while using her body as bait to draw its attention away from Godou and the others.

What she lacked in firepower, she made up with unrelenting tenacity.

She had been well on her way to finishing the second head when Finn and the others showed up.

He heard the cry of anguish Loki released when it launched a fiery onslaught against her Familia.

In his soul, something _clicked_ , and a sense of weightlessness overcame him.

Without his order, Lancelot rushed to their defense. The raised shield in her hand protected the Expedition, diverting and absorbing the azure inferno the dragon was spewing at them in the nick of time.

But even Lancelot could not last forever. He could feel her strain, see the kite-shield begin to deform under the heat, and met the looks of awe Finn and the others directed towards Lancelot's stalwart back.

But still he hesitated. He had shown them Lancelot. Given them a glimpse of Verethragna's power. Honored them with the voice of Ame no Murakamo no Tsurugi.

But this Authority...this Authority superseded all of that in terms of pure, destructive power. This Authority was nothing short of a miracle, and so fate-defying was its strength that even Godou had not yet managed to find a way to get around its strict activation requirements.

Like the Golden Sword, this Authority had an intrinsic power to severe Divinity.

But it could also do much more than that.

Showing it to Loki, he knew, would sear the image into her mind forever, for a single glance at it would be enough for anyone with a trace of Divinity in their blood to freeze up in fear.

Finn was right. He was such a fucking hypocrite.

He didn't want Loki to fear him.

He didn't want Loki to hate him.

But then Loki started tapping into her Divine Power. He felt her magical aura strengthen immeasurably, and he realized in horror her intention.

She was going to activate her Arcana to save them.

She was going to end her mortal life to protect her Familia.

He had told Finn he would protect Loki at all costs.

He had promised Loki that he'd protect her Familia's lives over her own.

He gripped his hand tightly.

To hell with it. It didn't matter if everyone hated him after this. All that mattered was that they were around to do so.

He put his hand on Loki's shoulder and shook his head when she looked up at him in surprise.

Her eyes widened and her face froze in horror when she saw the spear, with its crimson-red tip, in his hand.

It was an abomination. It radiated _wrongness_. Its mere existence was a burden on space and time itself, and every little movement it made in Godou's hand caused the area around it to distort a little.

It was an Anomaly. A weapon that defied the natural order of things.

In the distance, Lancelot continued to struggle. Her boots, despite being dug into the ground, drew lines in the dirt as the force behind the fire continued to push her closer and closer to the Expedition.

Lefiya fired spell after spell at the dragon in vain, the magic bouncing off its scales like they were nothing but weak, sparkling cinders.

Godou hefted the spear up and threw it.

It did not fly towards the dragon as much as it tore its way to it. The universe screamed as the very fabric that made up reality was ripped at the seams by the anomalous existence hurtling through it.

The moment the spear touched the dragon, its entire mass began to deform. Flesh folded in on itself. Bones crunched as they were snapped like twigs. Ichor spurted out of its body through every orifice like juice from a squeezed orange as the dragon's body continued to contort.

The point of contact between the spear and the dragon became a singularity; the eye of a whirlpool that absorbed everything around it.

The dragon stopped its fiery breath and looked down on its disfiguring body. Upon seeing its torso swirling into the tip of the spear, it made a strange sound.

It sounded like a whimper.

But there was no way to tell, because a second later the entire dragon disappeared, sucked into the spear, and the only sign of its existence was trillions of suspended droplets of blood that quickly rained onto the ground and painted it red.

The spear clattered onto the ground with a metallic _clang_.

Apart from that, the entire cavern was silent and still.

In a way, Godou had killed the dragon. Slayed the unslayable. In a way, he hadn't. There was a certain image to those words. What he had done instead didn't bear any resemblance to that image, but there was no way to describe accurately with words what he had done. Words were real. They could not be used to describe a concept that bordered on defying existence itself.

If Godou had to describe the deed he'd committed, the most fitting way of doing so was this:

He had removed the dragon from the plane of existence.

Realizing he was the only one that wasn't frozen in place from shock, he steadily walked towards the fallen spear and bent down to pick it up.

It didn't feel any heavier in the slightest, and he banished it from reality and it disappeared from sight.

The eyes of everyone present followed him. He knew most of them were still trying to figure out what he'd done. Their minds would never be able to comprehend it. They could try to come up with theories and explanations in their brains, but concepts that broke the rules of reality could never truly be anchored down by trivial things like logic and reason.

Most of them were confused.

Only one person was truly terrified.

Loki had gone as white as a sheet. He wondered what must have been going on in her mind right now.

It was one thing to kill a God.

What he'd done transcended that by several magnitudes—he'd blatantly overwritten the rules of reality, imposed his will on the universe, and basically turned existence itself into his own personal plaything.

Such was the power of _Ascalon_ , the Dragon-Slaying Spear of St. George. It did more than just kill dragons. It severed the threads of Fate, ignored the rules that governed the universe, and granted its wielder dominion over anything that did and did not exist.

In the hands of a wielder that understood it enough, was powerful enough, and had an imagination creative enough, it could theoretically wipe everything out from existence.

Or cut the universe clean into two.

Loki had every reason to be mortified.

So when she ran towards him and tackled him in a hug with tears streaming down her face, Godou was understandably confused.

"Thank you," she sobbed into his chest, "thank you so, so much, Godou."

 **A/N: What do y'all think? Let me know in the reviews!!**

 **Also I've done so much build-up for the Expedition, but I haven't planned the 59th floor in the slightest and I don't really know what to do, so the next chapter might take a really long time. Or it could come out next week, you never know.**

 **Don't forget to leave a follow and fav!!**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: IT. IS. HERE. (Abit earlier than I promised, so yay.) I'm not abandoning this story yet.**

 **P.S. PLEASE READ THE A/N AT THE BOTTOM.**

 **Chapter 15: The Expedition (Part 3)**

Her palm was sweaty, her fingers still trembling, but Loki's clasp on his hand was unbreakable as they sat on the ground next to each other, her head leaning against his shoulder.

Godou was well aware that everyone was watching them, even if they were trying very hard to pretend that they weren't. Tsubaki, in the middle of tuning up everyone's weapons, would look up every now and then; Finn, Riveria, and Gareth, going through notes and maps, shot furtive looks as they shuffled through their papers; most of the others were lying down or leaning against large rocks, resting in preparation for the upcoming dive into the 59th Floor, but Godou's enhanced senses were more than enough to catch the moments when they'd crack open an eyelid to peek.

And of course, there was Lefiya, who was sitting on the floor, blatantly staring at him with an intense look on her face.

It had taken him an instant to defeat that massive three-headed dragon, and while none of them truly understood _how_ he had done it, they had seen enough to instinctively know that they shouldn't ask. They kept a respectful distance away, pretending to mind their own business, but the gratefulness in their eyes was something Godou did appreciate.

However, there was one person who did understand what he had done, and she hadn't spoken a word since hugging him. Some of Loki's red hair had come loose from her ponytail and was brushing against his cheek, tickling him, but Godou let it be.

The first time he had tried to brush them away, Loki had flinched, and her face was filled with unspeakable guilt once she realized he had seen the fear in her eyes. So Godou sat still, bearing through the discomfort, letting Loki lean against him, waiting for her breathing to return to normal and her shoulders to relax.

They were sitting down in front of the cave which led to the 59th floor—the entrance to the unknown—and Godou, for once, found himself completely calm.

Ascalon was not a weapon he used lightly or regularly. The number of times he'd invoked it over the course of his long life could be counted on one hand. Calling it an Authority was not entirely correct. Authorities were the powers of Gods, manifestations of Divinity. Ascalon transcended that. It was an Anomaly, capable of rewriting the rules of the universe in ways not even Gods could, and it was the spear's beyond-Divinity trait that had allowed Saint George, an ordinary mortal man by all accounts, to transcend his mortality and accomplish his impossible feats.

When Loki had gazed upon it, she would have seen something that even her Divine senses could not begin to comprehend. She would have seen something that existed in a higher plane of existence than she did.

For a God like her, the ramifications would be profoundly terrifying.

Godou smiled when Loki gave his hand a small squeeze. He was oddly at peace with all this. It had been worth it.

Had his indecision lasted even a moment later, the entire cavern would currently be empty save him.

She let out a deep breath, loosening her grip; instead of clasping her hand tightly against his, she was now gently resting it, her fingers stroking his in small, soft movements. She nuzzled her head deeper into his shoulder and exhaled once more.

The moment was far from perfect. The floor was rough and littered with small rocks that made sitting slightly painful. All the running and fighting from before meant that the stench of sweat, both his and Loki's, wafted into his nose. And then there was the cave in front of them, an ominous and all-encompassing darkness that seemed to never end.

But even with all that, things were better than Godou could have ever hoped for.

Finally breaking the silence, he said, "you must have questions."

"I do," Loki said.

Godou waited, but Loki said nothing else.

"If you want to pretend that you saw nothing, I can do that."

"It's okay. That won't be necessary."

"Then…" his words got stuck in his throat when Loki tilted her head up to meet his eyes.

There wasn't a single sliver of fear. Instead, all he saw was a soft, gentle smile that accompanied warm shining eyes.

"I'll wait," Loki said. "When you're ready, you can tell me. I made a promise to you that I'll never leave you alone, that I'll be here for you. I intend to keep it, no matter how long it takes."

"You're not scared anymore?" he asked.

"I'm scared. Terrified, to be honest," Loki said. But then her smile grew a little wider and her fingers slid into the gaps between his own. "But not of you, Godou. I was never scared of you."

There was a little glint in her eye when Loki said that last part and it made Godou chuckle. "Liar."

Loki peeled herself off him and sat straight. Then she shook her head and looked him in the eyes. "I'm not lying, Godou. I was never scared of you. You never gave me a reason to be and I'm sorry if I ever made you think otherwise."

This time there was no glint, and under her unwavering gaze, Godou found himself speechless. Finally, he managed to find the words and said, "you called me a monster."

Loki looked away and faced the cave. "I shouldn't have done that. I still regret it. You told me the truth and I did not return that trust when you needed it most. I will tell you the truth now, Kusanagi Godou and this time, don't interrupt me."

"I won't," Godou promised.

The fingers wrapping around his hands tensed for a moment. Then they relaxed, and Loki began to speak.

"I love you, Kusanagi Godou. I don't know when, and I certainly don't know how. I'm not good at these kinds of things," upon saying this, her face reddened slightly, "but I will try my best.

"I never experienced love as a God before. It never fell under my domain, and I spent most of my time in Heaven performing my godly duties and getting into fights, so like many other gods, I had no reason nor time to concern myself with emotions.

"But when I descended into the Mortal Realm and took on this form, things began to change. I came to love my Familia. I came to love Orario. I came to love and care for mortals in a way that I never did as a God.

"And then I met you, Kusanagi Godou. At the time, you were just a mysterious stranger that stumbled out of the Dungeon that could lie to the Gods. I was interested in you. You were something I had never seen before.

"I don't know when that curiosity turned into desire, but it was probably because you kept rejecting me in a way no other mortal had before. In a way, what Lancelot said all those weeks ago was right. I wanted you for all the wrong reasons. I liked you back then because you were something that I wanted but couldn't have; just another challenge to be conquered.

"Then you told me the truth. You told me you could kill Gods and showed me Mjolnir, and I was terrified. I have talked to Gods of death, and all of them have told me the same thing: Gods cannot die. But you came from another world and brought with you another set of rules, rules that even Gods like me have to follow.

"I was scared. But not of you, Kusanagi Godou, but what you represented. I was afraid of the Campione in you. Someone who can kill Gods has the potential to reshape the world in ways no one should be able to. And in my fear, I stopped seeing you for who you were and only saw the embodiment of my nightmares.

"Right before you told me the truth about a Campione's nature, I said to you that I didn't care if you were a Campione, and that what I wanted was you, Kusanagi Godou. I'm sorry that I lied then. I will not lie now. I want you, Kusanagi Godou, all of you. You are more than just a Campione. You are Kusanagi Godou, the simple chef at the Hostess of Fertility. You are Kusanagi Godou, the man who saved my Familia. You are Kusanagi Godou, the man that I am love with.

"When I first asked you what a Campione was, you told me it was a title and nothing more. I should have listened to you from the very start. I'm sorry I didn't. The one I love is Kusanagi Godou, not the title given to him by other people.

"I will be honest. I don't know if what I'm feeling now is love. Everything is new to me and I have never been so lost in my life. I'm not asking for a reply now. I'm not even asking for forgiveness. I just want you to know the truth. And I also want you to know, that as long as I am around, you will never need to feel alone again. I love you Kusanagi Godou, and I will be by you for as long as it takes."

Loki pulled her hand away from his and stood up, dusting off the dirt from her clothes. He looked around. The rest of her Familia were geared up and standing behind them, looking at him encouragingly, determinedly, and expectantly.

Loki extended a hand toward him. "Kusanagi Godou, will you walk into the unknown with me?"

She was smiling at him, her eyes pressed into thin lines, and his heart fluttered.

He took her hand and they walked into the cave, hand in hand, ready to take on whatever might be on the other side together.

 **XxXxXxXxX**

The entire Expedition's mood took a more serious turn as they descended through the tunnel into the 59th Floor. The only source of light came from the torches Tsubaki and Raul were carrying. Godou saw it as a sign of just how precarious the expedition was—high-Level Adventurers being relegated into Supporter roles.

"The notes the Zeus Familia left behind said that the 59th Floor was the start of an icy region of the Dungeon. Supposedly, the glacier-like surface made any kind of walking difficult," Finn said. The Pallum was chewing on his thumb. "If that's the case, why hasn't the air gotten any colder? We've descended about 30 meters; we should almost be there."

"The Dungeon is a living, breathing thing," Loki said, walking next to Godou, her hand still interlocked with his. "I wouldn't be surprised if things change."

Finn didn't look convinced. "Whatever the case, everyone be on your guard. Prepare to be attacked the moment we step out."

His words were unnecessary. Everybody's weapons had been drawn ever since they'd entered the tunnel, and they had been tightly held in front of them the whole time.

At the next turn, their world suddenly became engulfed in light. Godou held up a hand to shield himself from the blinding brightness and once his eyes recovered, his jaw dropped at the sight in front of him.

"A jungle?" Riveria said.

They found themselves standing on a ledge overlooking the rest of the Floor below them; the entire 59th Floor was painted green. Trees of all shapes, dense and tall, carpeted the ground. There were mega-trees as well, like the one in the center of Rivira on the 18th Floor, except there were dozens of them here, shaped like giant mushrooms that reached the ceiling of the Floor, the sheer number and size of them making it look as if the entire ceiling was supported by them.

A buzzing sound immediately made Godou swing Lancelot, still in her sword form. A warm liquid splashed on his face as a giant fuzzy insect, bigger than his hand and looking like the grotesque cross of a hornet and a moth, was split into two halves that fell to the ground. The lack of a magic crystal told him that the gigantic insect wasn't even a monster.

As everyone watched the twitching, bifurcated body die, Godou tensed.

"There's something here," he said. He looked to study the jungle before him. The tingling sensation he felt was concerning. That monster tamer he'd met in Rivira hadn't lied—there really was something here waiting for him. It made his fingers itch, and they tightened around Lancelot. When she began to vibrate, Godou immediately understood.

"Divinity. There's Divinity somewhere here."

The Expedition's eyes fell on him. "A God?" Bete asked. "Are you kidding me? We're going to fight a God?"

"No," Godou said. "Not a God. Something much weaker. Do you all remember, back in Rivira, the giant Boar I summoned to fight the Black Goliath?"

They nodded. Loki, on the other hand, frowned. _Tell me more_ , her face seemed to say.

"It's slightly weaker than that," Godou said.

When they paled, he smiled. "Don't worry, it's nowhere as strong as the dragon from earlier. I'll have no problem."

"No."

Godou looked at Finn. The Pallum had his arms folded. Despite his small size, he looked up at Godou, defiance burning in his eyes. "This is our expedition too. Leave it to us. We'll defeat it."

His first response was to look at Loki. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, and Godou wondered if she could sense the Divinity as well.

When she opened her eyes, she scanned through the expedition members. "Do you agree with Finn?"

They nodded as one, all looking determined.

She looked up to Godou and shrugged. "There you go." She smiled at him. "I guess you'll just have to stand and watch from the side-lines with me."

He rolled his eyes, but the corners of his lips still twitched upwards anyway.

The ground rumbled as the sound of falling trees rocked through the Floor. A plume of smoke rose from a newly-made clearing in the distance. Godou could vaguely make out a writhing shape within it.

"Well then," Finn said. "Welcome to the 59th Floor. Let's go."

 **XxXxXxX**

His sweat made Godou's clothes stick to him. The fact that Loki was also sticking him did nothing to alleviate the heat and humidity of the forest. It was dark—the tall trees had wide and dense canopies that blocked out most of the light that came from the light-emitting crystals that made up the ceiling. But still, the Expedition pressed on, led by Finn and Riveria, treading through the darkness with caution, even if they hadn't encountered a monster once.

Loki walked with him at the back of the pack and predictably, once some distance had been made between the two of them and the rest of the Expedition, she had questioned him about Verethragna's Boar.

To his surprise, the words spilled out of his mouth easily. He told Loki how Verethragna was the first God he had killed, explained to her what Divine Beasts were, and recounted how the Boar was one of the first Authorities he had learned to use.

"Doesn't sound very hard," Loki frowned, "all you need to do is point."

Godou was about to mention how he'd destroyed several national landmarks when her features hardened. "These Divine Beasts. You called them servant spirits of the Gods?"

"Yeah, something like that."

"Now that we're getting closer, I can start to feel the Divinity too. You're right, this is too weak to be a God," Loki said, furrowing her brows. "But I think I know what it is. Do you know what spirits are?"

"You mentioned them before," Godou said, trying to remember. "You created them a long time ago to help mortals fight monsters, right?"

" _I_ didn't. Some of the other Gods did. They have small traces of Divinity in them. This feels a little different, though. This Divinity feels…" Loki paused, "I don't know, weird."

"Will it fight us, then?" Godou asked. "I thought they're allies."

"Who knows?" Loki said. "That's what expeditions like this one are for. Some answers are only gained by seeking them out."

 **XxXxXxXxX**

"That's no spirit," Riveria said, as the entire expedition hid behind the thick foliage offered by a fallen tree and studied the thing in front of them.

Godou had seen Divine Beasts take the form of plants before. The thing in front of him vaguely reminded him of one. Godou didn't know if it was a she, but the humanoid figure that protruded out of the flower-like structure was distinctively female. She was clad in green skin, with long ivy-like hair, and easily over three meters tall. The flowery base her torso melted into was as tall as any tree around them. She wore the petals, purple and decorated with colorful patterns, like a dress, and they draped down to the ground where dozens of tentacles were writhing about.

"It's a corrupted spirit," Loki said. "Weaker than a real spirit, but not by much."

"We should act soon," Finn said, pointing. "Before it grows even more powerful."

Surrounding the Demi-spirit was were hundreds of the large, caterpillar-like monsters that Godou recognized from the dragons' den earlier. They were apparently a new species, never-before documented, and it seemed Loki was right in guessing that they really were involved in the oddities going on in the Dungeon.

A tentacle skewered one of the monstrous worms, and from its disintegrating body, yanked out its magic crystal. Lifting it up, the Demi-spirit dropped it into her mouth. Some of the expedition members winced as the crunching sound reached their ears.

Then she sniffed and craned her neck to look in their direction. Gold pupil-less eyes widened delightfully as purple lips spread into an ominous smile.

"Aria," the voice was metallic, and seemed to bounce off the leaves of the forest, "I found you."

From the corner of his eyes, Godou saw Aiz tense, but before he could do anything, Finn hefted his spear and climbed onto the fallen tree.

"Godou," the Captain of the Loki Familia said softly, "take Loki and keep her safe."

Then, to the rest of the expedition, he raised his spear and shouted, "attack!"

 **XxXxXxXxX**

Loki was worried, and it showed in how she refused to sit down on the branch Godou had brought them to watch the ensuing battle from. She stood twenty meters above the ground, one arm hugging her side, the other chewing on her thumbnail nervously.

Her worry wasn't unfounded. The Corrupted Spirit might look to be rooted to the ground, but that meant nothing when her thorn-adorned vines were apparently extendable and could strike anyone within a moment's notice. Godou couldn't count how many of them she had; not only were they too fast and too many, she also had a nasty tendency of keeping a few of them buried underground, launching them as traps or surprise attacks.

The Expedition had to keep moving, constantly dodging one attack after the other, and any attempts to attack were thwarted by a veritable wall of her vines erupting beneath their feet. Finn and the others were still playing the early game: keeping a safe distance while prodding at her defenses to gain an understanding of the Corrupted Spirit's patterns.

Still, it didn't change the fact that a single mistake was all it would take for someone to be impaled.

"Do you believe in them?" Godou asked.

"Yes," Loki said.

"Do you believe in me?" Godou asked.

"Yes," Loki said, a little faster this time.

"Then they will be fine."

He saw Loki frown at Lancelot, who was mixed into the members of the Expedition. True to his word, Godou had asked her not to attack, and only to interfere when someone's life was at stake. The knight had not taken his request well but had obliged when he reminded her that the use of her Divinity might end up summoning a monster even worse than the Black Dragon.

Finally, Loki seemed to relax a little, and her gaze shifted to the new sword attached to his hip. Unlike Lancelot, this one took the form of a katana, a midnight blade hidden under a black sheath; the only color on it was its guard, an ornate gold semicircle with a glistening red orb embedded in its center.

"Ame no Murakamo no Tsurugi," he said, answering her unsaid question.

"I don't recognize the name," Loki said.

"The Divine Sword wielded by Susanoo, God of storms."

Her eyes widened briefly. "Oh," she said. Then she pursed her lips. "This one's a boy sword, right?"

Before he could reply, the sword on his hip chuckled, vibrating in its spot as it did so. The red orb shined as it spoke:

" **See how you have traumatized her with Lancelot? Now she questions the gender of every sword she sees. So smitten is she with you that I, the great Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi, am reduced to a romantic competitor instead of the fear-striking and mighty weapon I was forged to be."**

Loki's jaw dropped.

"Yes," Godou said, trying hard not to smile. "He is a boy sword."

" **Do not worry, Goddess of mischief. I play no tricks. I will be honest, I do not like you; you represent cunning and slyness, and I find that dishonorable. But you care for the boy and have helped him in more ways than one. I appreciate what you have done for him so I will… ah, how do humans put it?... cheer for your team."**

"Do all your swords talk?" Loki asked.

" **Only the good-looking ones,"** Tsurugi replied first.

Godou laughed. "Most of the Divine Weapons I have are alive in one way or another but no, most of them don't talk."

"Huh," Loki said, glancing down at Tsurugi. "He's kinda funny. I like him—more than Lancelot at least."

He rolled his eyes. "She saved your Familia."

"I'm sure Ame no Tsurugi could have done the same," Loki said. And then, "Can he turn human too?"

"No," Godou said. "But this sword isn't his Divine Form, either."

" **Yes. I look much mightier, and scarier, and far more good-looking in my True Form."**

Loki looked amused. "So do I, you know? You've seen me in it before, right Godou? The horns, and the long green cape, and the lightning!" She shuddered, "oh just thinking about it reminds of the passionate kiss we had back then, Godou!"

Then Loki looked up to him expectantly. "When are we going do that again, by the way?"

That… was a question Godou had not expected. Her soft pink lips, pursed together, looked extremely kissable at the moment. But something held him back. Painful memories, which he'd tried to bury, bubbled to the surface of his mind, and he winced.

" **Ah,"** Tsurugi said, **"now you've made him remember the ghosts of his past. I would advise caution and patience with this one, Loki. For all his strength and sturdiness, he is hopelessly weak against wounds of the heart."**

There was a flash of irritation at Tsurugi's loose tongue, but Godou closed his eyes and suppressed it. He wanted Loki to know the truth now, and it didn't matter whether it came from his mouth or not. Tsurugi knew that he would've never admitted to the fragility of his emotions on his own and grudgingly, he mentally thanked the God for educating Loki.

Loki couldn't hide her disappointment completely. But still, genuine concern and understanding could be seen on her face as she grabbed his hand with her own. "I'll wait, Godou. When you're ready, I'll be here for you."

He squeezed her hand, still recovering from the unwanted flashbacks, and said softly, "thank you, Loki."

The beam on her face made everything worth it.

The sharp spike in magical energy reminded Godou that there was still a fight going on.

A high-pitched chant, either spoken too fast or in a completely different language for Godou to understand poured out of the Corrupted Spirit's lips, still locked in a smug smile. A magic circle formed above her head and Godou heard the air crackle with arcane energy.

A spear sunk into her cheek and detonated.

"That's Finn for you," Loki said, a tinge of pride in her voice.

But the Pallum did not look satisfied, and Godou saw him look at his hand in concern.

When the smoke blocking her face cleared, torn sinews were knitting back together, and a fresh layer of flesh and skin was painted back on and she continued to chant.

 _Why do they always have regeneration?_ Godou thought.

A barrage of light from Lefiya came next, but this time the Corrupted Spirit was ready. The petal-dress, previously hanging off her waist, swung upwards, forming a protective cocoon that shielded her from the Elf's spells.

The petals dropped, revealing a manic grin on the Corrupted Spirit's face.

" _Meteor Storm!"_

From the giant magic circle floating overhead, flaming projectiles, hundreds of them, rained down on the Expedition in screaming yellow streaks. Riveria threw up a glowing dome just in time to block the first of them. In an instant, the entire area was covered in explosions and smoke. Dirt and debris were thrown into the sky in heaps. Trees were vaporized, and the earth shook from the unrelenting assault. Whatever remaining caterpillar-monsters simply ceased to exist.

The branch they were standing on rocked violently, and Godou caught Loki's arm before she could lose her footing. The ensuing shockwave caused her hair to whip around, showing a worried face.

"They're fine. The shield's still up," Godou said.

But still, he found himself frowning. Now that he had sensed the Corrupted Spirit's magic first-hand, he realized there was something wrong with it. There was normal magic, the kind that Riveria and Lefiya specialized in using. And then there was Divine Magic, which Godou had felt pulsating throughout the entire Floor as the Corrupted Spirit was chanting. However, just before the meteors had been fired, Godou had sensed something else, something darker, something that could not have been Divine in nature.

He glanced at Loki. Had she felt it too? It had been brief. The redhead's eyes were locked onto the cloud of smoke. She probably hadn't, too full of concern for her Familia, and Godou didn't want to burden her even more.

A knot of unease formed in his gut. What had that been?

The smoke began to clear. Loki heaved a sigh of relief when she saw the blue dome still glowing, the members of the Expedition inside looking rattled, but otherwise no worse for wear. Bete made an attempt to advance, but Finn's arm blocked him immediately.

The Pallum looked down at his thumb just as Godou felt another spike in magical energy.

Where did Finn's remarkable precognition come from?

Chanting filled the air again, deranged and garbled. The sheer amount of energy behind the Corrupted Spirit's words cleared the smoke. Her wicked smile was still there.

And then Godou felt it. If the previous attack had only contained a small sliver of it then this time Divinity and that dark energy were almost split evenly. His instincts warned him of the scale of the impending attack, and Godou reacted accordingly.

Scooping Loki up, he called on the Camel and poured as much strength as he could into his legs, and then leaped off the branch. The power behind his jump caused the massive branch to snap completely, and as Godou hurtled through the air, the Corrupted Spirit unleashed its attack.

Purple flames spewed out of her mouth in long billowy streams that spread across the surface like a flood of burning, torrential liquid. An entire swath of the jungle vanished in an instant. Trees spontaneously burst into flames from proximity, turning into ash that caught alight as well, consigned into oblivion.

Godou came to a stop in the air, floating briefly, just in time to see one of the giant trees topple. Like a ravenous beast, the Corrupted Spirit's flames devoured its roots and base. It groaned, agonizingly, as it listed to one side and Godou watched the haunting sight of its massive canopy, once touching the roof of the Floor, crash onto the ground with enough force that the entire Floor visibly shook.

"No!" Loki screamed, still caught underneath his arm, and clawed at the air desperately.

Riveria's shield had shattered.

A black blur slammed into the ground in front of her before the flames could touch her and the rest of the Expedition. A massive kite shield, taller than a man and shining silver, buried its tip into the ground as Lancelot, clad in her midnight armor, put herself in between the fiery onslaught and the Expedition.

Like water before a dam, the flames gave way, splitting and diverging as the immovable object placed in front of it refused to budge. The Expedition froze, watching the scorching current bypass them with awe.

Godou's eyes widened as Lancelot's sensations passed on over to him. There was a concerning amount of strain on her, and with horror, Godou realized that the dark energy mixed into the attack was burning through her Divine defenses at an unnaturally high rate.

It… countered Divinity?

The pull of gravity forced Godou to reprioritize; Lancelot would be fine for now, but he and Loki were starting to freefall through the air. The ground was still engulfed in flames and was starting to glisten as earth turned into a hard, glass-like substance under the heat.

" _Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi_ _,_ _Sword of the Gathering Clouds of Heaven,_ _unsheathe_."

He slid the blade out from its scabbard smoothly. Electricity crackled along its edges as it was drawn to its full length. Despite himself, Godou grinned. "Make it rain, partner."

Where there had been none before, clouds swirled into existence above him. Thunder rumbled as arcs of lightning danced within the now overcast sky of the 59th Floor.

The rain fell instantly, and torrentially, putting out the flames in an angry hiss that created a layer of steamy mist that surrounded Godou once he landed back onto the ground.

Loki, who had remained silent ever since Lancelot had protected her Familia, climbed out of his grip. She raised a hand up to catch droplets as the rain started to abate.

"Full of surprises, aren't you?" she said.

"C'mon," Godou said. "There's still a battle going on."

Loki nodded, her face turning grim. "Lancelot is making it very difficult for me to not like her."

 **XxXxXxXxX**

They won.

It had not been an easy battle, but they had done it. Lancelot had not needed to intervene again, though there were moments that came dangerously close.

When Gareth had been impaled by one of the Corrupted Spirit's vines, Godou had almost commanded Lancelot to save him. Surprisingly, it was Loki that held him back, a determined yet pained look on her face as she told him, "my children won't let a little prick like that stop them."

She had been right, and Gareth had continued to clear the way for the rest, slicing through vines furiously as if the gaping wound in his gut wasn't there.

And at the very end, when Aiz had been delivering the fatal blow, the Corrupted Spirit had launched a giant icicle that would have killed her had Lefiya not destroyed it with a well-timed and well-aimed spell.

Finn had a dislocated shoulder. Riveria had severe burns along half of her body. Bete had a fractured leg. Tione and Tiona were possibly concussed from being thrown into a giant stone.

No one had emerged unscathed, but everyone had a grin on their face. Loki's elation at the successful Expedition was just that infectious.

Even Godou couldn't help but smile as he watched Loki throw hugs and praises at her Adventurers. He felt proud of them. To take down something equivalent to a low-class Divine Beast was phenomenal for anyone not a Campione.

And then an ear-piercing shattering and cracking sound was heard, and Godou looked up just in time to see the ceiling split apart and a giant leg, scaly and hooved, smash through the thick crystal layer as if it had been made of paper.

It was black.

He gritted his teeth in frustration. So the use of his Divinity had not gone unnoticed after all.

But before anything else could happen, a dark, miasmic sensation enveloped the entire area. The adventurers fell to their knees—the pressure and power that they were feeling so thick and overwhelming that their weakened bodies could not handle it. Even Godou found himself momentarily short of breath.

Loki's eyes went wide, while Lancelot donned her armor once more and Tsurugi began vibrating with anticipation.

Godou could do nothing but watch—the crevice the unknown Black Monster was descending from suddenly slammed shut as if it were a mouth that had devoured it. A pained roar thundered across the floor as its leg, still twitching as it fell, crashed on the other side of the jungle.

And then, silence.

The pressure let up. The Adventurers starting gulping in fresh air gratefully, unsteadily getting to their feet as the horrible and crushing sensation ebbed away.

Godou gulped. That was the unknown power he had felt from the Corrupted Spirit's attack, only intensified exponentially.

A loud sigh drew his attention to the center of the clearing they were standing in, where a robed and hooded figure stood in a spot that, just moments ago, had been completely empty.

"That's enough fighting for one day, don't you think?"

The newcomer's voice was relaxed and, to some extent, even friendly.

That didn't stop every single weapon in the area from being pointed at him.

"Who the hell are you?" Bete was the first one to ask.

The man raised his arms dramatically. The hood kept Godou from seeing anything above the mouth, and all he could make out was that the man was fair-skinned and had a sharp chin.

"Me?" the man said. "I have many names. Among them, I have once been called Destroyer of Cities."

His lips spread into a wide smile when he saw Loki bring a hand to her face in horror.

"But if that is too long, I suppose you may just call me Enyo."

 **XxXxXxXxX**

 **A/N: Would just like to let you all know a few things going forward. I've mentioned some of this in Spacebattles, but most of you read this on FF, and so you can't see it. (Get spacebattles too, it's far better for author-reader dialogue imo)**

 **1\. As I've said before, I'm in the midst of writing an original project, and I found it kinda ironic that I'm gonna try to complete a work of my own when I haven't even managed to complete a single piece of fanfiction. So, I'm putting my identity as an aspiring author on the line here and declaring that I won't abandon this story for another 8-10 chapters (which is where "Book One" of this fic will end), and then we'll see how things go from there.**

 **2\. I also want some of your thoughts so I can plan things accordingly. I intend on drifting far, far away from the Anime's portrayal of Rakia (I'm assuming the LN's is somewhat similar), and making them slightly more powerful, with more malicious and extreme attitudes and methods. The Familia War will be a touch-and-go affair-it's Bell's story and I don't want to take that away from him, but I really plan on expanding and building on Rakia because I see a lot of potential there. Given how some of you are sticklers when it comes to things like this, I'm hoping just to see, roughly, how much of you are agreeable to this deviation of Rakia's portrayal. It'll be exciting and interesting, I promise you, and we'll definitely get to see some crazy stuff if what I've planned is okay with you all.**

 **3\. I have another active fic called "Alola, Galar!" that's basically inserting the Protagonist of Pokemon Sun and Moon into Pokemon Sword and Shield. Do check it out if you like Pokemon!**

 **4\. As always, do let me know your thoughts in reviews, comments, likes, follows, and favs. You can PM me too! We're on the path to reaching 4k follows on FF (despite this fic not even being 1.5 years old), which I think is pretty cool, and Spacebattles…well, I have one chapter that's going to hit 400 Likes soon, which I guess can be a milestone? Speaking about Spacebattles, I'm really hoping you guys can discuss more and comment more, because I realize there's a lot of Danmachi lore I'm not aware of so the more you discuss about how things can be applied, the more I have to work with!**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: So...here's the next chapter. I'll leave the main A/N at the bottom for those who do read them.**

 **Chapter 16: The Expedition (Part 4)**

Someone up there must hate her. She wasn't talking about the Divine Realm, because Loki was sure there were _lots_ of people up there that hated her; she was talking about the place beyond that, if such a place existed.

If there was someone more powerful than the gods (she wasn't counting Godou, of course), then nothing other than a personal grudge could explain her misfortune and Loki didn't even know what'd she done to earn their fury.

Because here was Enyo, standing right between her and Godou. The being Ouranos had warned them all about—an unknown entity that sought the destruction of the Gods.

The hooded man smiled at them all, looking at her in particular. "Tut tut, now here's something you don't see everyday. A God. In the Dungeon. I should lodge a complaint to the Guild."

"You do that," Loki said. "I'll even walk into the Guild with you."

Loki forced herself to appear calm, if not for the sake of her Familia, then for herself. That Enyo knew about the Guild at all meant he had some means of contact with the outside world. It was entirely possible that they'd bumped shoulders on the streets before.

She focused her attention on him, using her Divine senses to discern his nature. It was futile—whatever magic he'd used to hide his presence earlier also hid his entire aura.

"Calm down, goddess," Enyo said. "I'm not here for you. I'm here for _him_."

Then Enyo pointed at Kusanagi Godou and Loki's heart lurched. Why Godou?

He hadn't moved a muscle since Enyo's arrival. He stood warily, one hand resting on Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi, while Lancelot stood in front of him, changing her sword for a spear and pointing it straight at Enyo.

Finn gave her a look. Enyo's back was turned and her Familia's hardest hitters stood in his blind-spot. For a second, Loki considered it. But then she shook her head. They were injured, and they would be fighting someone even the Gods knew nothing about.

Godou opened his mouth. "You seem like a bad guy."

It was hard for Loki to not smile at Godou's candidness. Of course Enyo wouldn't faze him.

Enyo lifted his arms and plucked at his cloak as if he was adjusting his appearance in front of a mirror. "I see your point. But what if I told you that beneath this menacing and shady outfit, I am a charming and handsome man seeking to better the world?"

"Then take off the cloak." Lancelot said, "the words of someone who doesn't even have the courage to show his face can never be trusted."

"So much hostility," Enyo said. "I already said it, didn't I? That's enough fighting for today. I just want to talk. Or can your bullheaded brain only speak through blades and steel, _Lancelot du Lac_?"

Loki froze. It was possible for Enyo to know Lancelot's name if he'd secretly observed the Expedition. But even Loki hadn't known her _full_ name.

Godou narrowed his eyes, putting one arm on Lancelot's shoulder. The goddess looked furious, and it seemed Godou's hand was the only thing stopping her from charging at Enyo. "How do you know her full name?"

"Because I know everything about you, Kusanagi Godou. I know that you are a Campione. I know about your sister, Shizuka. I even know about Erica, Yui, Lilliana, and Ena."

Loki didn't know what Enyo was talking about, but from Godou's pale face, he clearly did. Then his expression darkened, and he pulled out Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi and raised the midnight blade.

"Weren't you listening?" Enyo said. "I just want to talk. No need to draw swords and point spears."

"Then _talk_ ," Godou said. " _Now_."

Godou was upset, and Loki thought back to all her previous interactions with him. She'd seen him angry, seen him depressed, and seen him deeply hurt. Most of the time, she had been to blame in some way or the other, and she took a little bit of pride in being able to draw out such reactions from the normally stoic man.

But the Kusangi Godou in front of her now was nothing like she'd seen before. He looked unhinged, with crazed eyes and trembling limbs. Knowing that Enyo had made him like this caused her to dig her nails into her palms. But she had to admit—ashamedly—that a small part of her only felt curiosity.

 _What happens if someone pushes him over the edge?_

Then Enyo spoke and despite herself, Loki listened.

"Did you know a person's soul is like a book? It writes itself as they live and is finished when they die. Have you ever read a person's soul, Kusanagi Godou?"

Loki had never heard of such a thing. But then again, she wasn't a death God, so she'd never really interacted with the souls of the deceased when they returned to the Divine Realm.

"No," Godou said. "And I don't want to."

"That's understandable," Enyo said, shrugging his shoulders. "People are generally boring, predictable creatures. They all want the same things, do the same things, and all end up living similar lives one way or the other. But your life, Kusanagi Godou, was quite a fascinating read."

"You...read my soul?"

"Well, I stumbled upon it, to be exact. And once I started, I couldn't stop. You shouldn't be a surprised. Knowing what a Campione is, do you really think the Gods of death have any dominion over your soul?"

"No," Godou said, reluctantly.

"So what do you think happened when you died?"

Loki blinked. Godou... _died_?

Enyo didn't wait for a response. "Your soul just drifted around, waiting to be read by anyone who picked it up. And it was a good thing I did, because I liked you so much I decided to give you a second chance at life."

Godou tensed. "So _you_ were the one that brought me back."

"Your welcome," Enyo said.

Loki desperately wanted to interrupt—what in Heaven's name was going on? Godou came back from the dead?

"Why?" Godou asked.

"Because I wanted a weapon, of course," Enyo said. "You have no idea how much having a Campione at my command will accelerate my plans." Then he sighed. "But alas, as you can see, things didn't work out as well as I hoped. I underestimated how stubborn a Campione's soul was and couldn't force you to submit to me. A failing on my part, nothing for you to feel bad about."

"I don't feel bad at all," Godou said.

"Really?" Enyo said, brightening up. "Then let's begin negotiating!"

"...negotiating?"

"Well, I couldn't make you work for me. So how about working _with_ me?" Enyo said. "I can make it worth your time."

Godou narrowed his eyes. "What are you after, exactly?"

 _Don't do it, Godou_ , Loki thought. _Enyo's a bad person._ But nothing came out of her mouth when she tried to speak.

"Me? I just want to make a better world."

"So you want to destroy the current one," Godou said. "And that's why you want a Campione."

"See? You know _exactly_ what I'm thinking! We'll make a great team, Kusangi Godou."

"If you've read my soul before," Godou said, "then you should already know the answer."

"Is there really nothing I can say to change your mind?" Enyo asked.

"No," Godou said.

Loki let out the breath she'd been holding. Now if they could hurry up and get out of here—

"If you won't listen to me, then what about these four?"

Enyo snapped his fingers.

The first to form, from nothing but the dirt of the ground, was a black-haired beauty that reminded Loki strongly of the people of the Far East. She had the same straight black hair that Tsuchimikazuchi's children had, with long bangs that reached just above her eyes. She had a shapely figure and pretty face that Loki knew was above average by mortal standards.

"E...na?"

She smiled Godou. "Hello, Godou."

The second girl had silvery-gray hair that was tied into a long ponytail. She was thin, and looked petite, with elf-like features and stern eyes. "Kusanagi Godou. I, Liliana Kranjcar, am here to serve you."

"Liliana!"

Loki bit her lip. Godou looked as if he were seeing ghosts, and from what she knew of his past, the possibility was there. Were these the close companions that he had lost?

His hands dropped limply to his sides. Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi fell tip-first into the dirt.

"Godou. You look well." The third girl was dressed in very plain white robes, with long brown hair that reached her waists. She held her hands together and blushed when Godou's jaw dropped at the sight of her.

"You too, Yuri?

None of them were illusions. They had real life energy coursing within them.

They were alive.

The last girl took a step forward. The hem of her red dress parted to reveal toned legs, and she placed her hands on her hips, an action that accentuated her large bust. Golden hair flowed down her shoulders and stopped above her generously-displayed cleavage.

"Hi, Godou. Did you miss me?" Her voice was sultry, and it irked Loki when Godou stepped towards her longingly.

"E...ri...ca?"

 _They're all girls_ , Loki realized, a bad taste forming in her mouth. She'd never expected Godou to be romantically uninvolved in his past life, but...this wasn't what she was expecting at all.

Godou sunk to his knees and the tears began to fall.

"How...even?" He turned to Enyo. "They're _alive_. _You_ did this?"

Enyo bowed. "Yes. You like it? I tried to recreate them as you remembered."

"As I remembered?"

"My King," Lancelot said, putting herself between Godou and the girls. "Snap yourself out of it. It's not really them. _Feel_ them, Godou. The souls in those bodies aren't theirs."

"She's right," Enyo said. "I don't have their souls. What I _do_ have are your memories of them. They're imitations, Kusanagi Godou."

The four girls crumbled back into dirt.

Godou's lips wavered, then his features looked as if they were cast in stone again. He stood up, but Enyo raised a hand before he could say anything.

"I can bring back the real ones, Kusanagi Godou, if you help me," Enyo said.

Loki saw it. The spark in Godou's eyes. Not quite hope, but more than just a curious interest.

They were losing this battle.

But something gripped at her, an explainable sensation that tightened around her heart that kept her from doing anything but watch.

Not fear. Something else. Something that made her want to just sit back and watch everything unfold, even though every other fiber of her being demanded she intervene.

"Do you know what lies at the bottom of the Dungeon?" Enyo asked, turning to everyone. "I'll tell you. Even all you adventurers. Listen well. I'm going to reveal the final objective of all your expeditions."

Loki saw her Familia, and Tsubaki, perk up with attention, even though they still eyed Enyo with distrust and were covered with wounds. Even Loki wanted to know.

"Life. That's what lies at the bottom of the Dungeon. Pure, unadulterated, life energy. You call the Dungeon alive. That's not quite right. The Dungeon _is_ life. Where do you think all these monsters come from? Everything comes from the immense reservoir of life that lies at the bottom. You can make yourself immortal. You can create living creatures from the earth. You can _bring back the dead_."

"The dead are supposed to stay dead," Loki said, compelled to speak. That was the law.

Enyo smiled. "And who decided that? You did. All you Gods, sitting high in your thrones, isolated and uncaring about the lives of your creations. You do not know pain. You do not know death. You do not know what it means to be alive. The Dungeon can change that." He turned to Kusanagi Godou and the adventurers. "If you reach the bottom of the Dungeon, what you gain is the power to make your own rules. Become the gods of your own lives."

They looked at Loki, and she let nothing show on her face. She didn't know if she could trust Enyo, but she had to let Ouranos know. If such a power really did exist at the bottom, then they had to do something about it.

"Kusanagi Godou," Enyo said. "Join me, and help me create a new world here. With my help, and the power of the Dungeon, we can go back to your home, take back the souls of your beloveds, and have them be at your side again. You won't be alone anymore."

She knew when Godou was thinking hard. The boy would always tilt his head slightly to the side, and the fact that he was doing that now was not a good sign.

 _What will you do, Kusangi_ _Godou? Enyo is offering your greatest desire. Will you take it and herald the fall of the Gods?_

She could feel the hope forming within him. Like a clearing storm, centuries' worth of despair parted and made way for that single ray of hope.

The boy's gaze fell to the piles of dirt that had been the four girls.

 _What will he choose?_ she wondered. If he turned Enyo down, the apocalypse would be postponed. If he joined Enyo, then as a God Loki would have no choice but to—

That line of thought came to a screeching halt.

What was she doing? Why was she still doubting him? Loki had promised herself she would trust him. She _knew_ Kusanagi Godou.

She'd seen Godou use Ascalon. The fear on his face when he'd pulled it out, worried about how she and the others would judge him.

She'd heard Godou speak. The care and compassion that formed the bedrock of his character.

She'd observed him, often annoyed that he was satisfied with cooking simple meals and washing other people's dishes even though he could be so much more.

Kusanagi Godou was no harbinger of the End. Kusanagi Godou was no monster that wanted to kill Gods. Kusanagi Godou didn't even want to be an adventurer, and if Loki couldn't convince him to be that last one, then there was no way in hell that Enyo was going to persuade him to be the other two.

Kusanagi Godou just wanted to be a normal human that did normal human things, and if that dumb idiot couldn't remember that, she was going to have to remind him.

Because that was the kind of man that she'd fallen in love with and she didn't want it any other way.

She stormed up to him, ignoring the looks of her Familia.

Lancelot raised an eyebrow, but stepped aside to let her pass.

Enyo frowned.

Godou's eyes were glazed, looking through her as if she wasn't there. Lost in his own thoughts, it seemed.

Well, there was only one way to break him out of his stupor. She grabbed his collar, dragged him down to her height, and planted her lips onto his.

His eyes widened and he made a noise of surprise.

Big mistake. When his lips parted, she pushed her tongue into his mouth to find his.

He shoved her off him, and Loki smiled at him, licking her lips contentedly. That was much better than the first one. At least she would remember it this time.

To her annoyance, Godou wiped his lips with his arm. "What are you doing!?"

"Reminding you that you're not alone," Loki said.

Godou blinked. Then, his shoulders relaxed and he closed his eyes and let out a deep breath.

"You're right," he said, reopening them. There was no more uncertainty in them. He turned back to Enyo, who wore an ugly scowl. "I'm not alone anymore."

"She's a _God_ ," Enyo said, spitting out the last word.

"She's a good person. And she's more than a God, she's a _friend_ ," Godou said.

Loki's eyelid twitched, and she cleared her throat loudly to let him know of his mistake.

Godou looked down at her and then looked embarrassed when she glared at him. "She's more than a friend, I mean."

Loki thought about it, and then shrugged. She could compromise—that was fine. For now, at least. She grabbed his hand and held onto it tightly.

"So you've chosen," Enyo said. "Is that your final choice?"

This time there was no hesitation. "Yes."

"You will regret this, you know," Enyo said.

"Is that a threat?" Godou asked.

"No," Enyo said. "I will not fight you—I'll lose. But it is a warning. The Gods will not take your existence lightly when they learn the truth. And by the time you learn of their true nature, I might not be so generous with you. I've found a Campione soul before, I might be able to stumble upon one again."

"I can handle them," Godou said.

"I know," Enyo said. "That's why I'm leaving your options open. If you reconsider, you know where to find me."

With that, Enyo crumbled into the dirt as well.

Loki clicked her tongue in annoyance. The coward had never truly been here either.

With Enyo's disappearance, the adrenaline that had kept everyone going vanished as well. Her tired children collapsed onto the floor, breathing hard and nursing their wounds. Riveria's healing magic and their magical potions could only do so much.

Tsubaki was panting hard. "Is there always so much drama in your Familia?"

"You'll get used to it."

Loki looked up. Godou was smiling at her as he replied. Another indescribable feeling welled up in her chest, but it was completely different from the previous time.

She squeezed his hand, and he squeezed back.

 **XxXxXxXxX**

It was just the two of them in the secret springs of Rivira.

Loki had _really_ wanted to take a private bath with Godou, but of course he had refused, citing some excuse about decency and modesty.

So she'd settled for a surprising second choice.

"That's so not fair!" complained Hestia, pulling at her pigtails. "Why? Why? Why? What does he see in you? I mean, you're flat as a board!"

Hestia, or any other God for that matter, had been the last person Loki expected to bump into in Rivira. And it wasn't just Hestia—Hermes had been with her; they'd snuck into the Dungeon to rescue Bell Cranel after he'd been Pass-Paraded by the Takemikazuchi Familia. It only reminded Loki how much Hestia's concern and understanding of mortals surpassed hers.

But still, she couldn't let that comment about her chest slide.

"Well, look who's talking! Obviously with cow-tits like yours, Bell's never going to even look at your face! I bet whenever you're talking to him, he doesn't listen and just stares at your boobs! No wonder you can't get him to like you!"

"Gah! I'm so annoyed! And I can't say anything because you got Godou! Urgh! This is so unfair! I bet you did something, didn't you? You must have made some kind of love potion, or threatened him, or—"

"Don't be jealous just because I can win a man's heart and you can't, Loli-Big-Boobs. You know, I bet it's because I'm a _real_ goddess, not some road-seller begging people to buy my friend potatoes."

"Argh! Did you just call me here to gloat? Because if you did, I'm going to ignore you," Hestia said, sinking into the water.

"No, I called you here to thank you," Loki said.

Hestia's head bobbed back up. "What?"

"I wanted to thank you," Loki said. "For helping me. You taught me what was important. None of this would have been possible if you hadn't come into my room that day."

"Oh," Hestia said, somewhat unconvincedly. "Well, you're welcome. And, uhm, I guess I'm happy for you too, Loki. I'm glad Godou's found someone. He really needed it, that poor boy. Now if only Bell could man up, too..."

Loki grinned. "He'll fall for you one day, I'm sure of it."

Hestia splashed out of the water and stared at Loki, wide-eyed. "Really? You really think so?"

"Yep," Loki said. "You're not a bad person. And you're trying really hard, aren't you? I mean, you came all the way into the Dungeon for him. One day, the message will get through. He's just an idiot. Kind of like Godou."

Hestia sighed and scooted backwards to sit next to her. "They're always idiots, aren't they? Why are men so stupid?"

"Well, it's cute sometimes."

Hestia mumbled an agreement, and the two of them stayed quiet for a while after that.

"Hestia?"

"Yes, Loki?"

"Isn't that Hermes sitting on that tree branch spying on us?"

 **XxXxXxXxX**

Their bags were packed and their bodies were rested.

She strolled up to him, and he smiled at her. The others made room for the two of them, and they walked slowly behind the main group.

"Well then, what did you think about your first Expedition?"

"You were right. It wasn't that bad. Actually, it was kind of fun."

"I'm always right. You should have realized that by now."

He rolled his eyes. "Come on, let's go home."

 **XxXxXxXxX**

 **A/N:**

 **FINALLY, the Expedition Arc has come to an end. At the point of writing this, Fanfiction has hit 4k followers, which is a new record for me. But at the same time, I noticed a sharp drop in readership after the previous chapter on both SB and FF, which is kind of a bummer. I don't think it's a coincidence that it happened on the very chapter Godou and Loki's relationship had its biggest change yet, and I'm really hoping that it was because of a disagreement with the plot direction, rather than a dissatisfaction with prose/character/etc. For those who continue to read, I hope you can help shed some light on this since it is bugging me.**

 **Onto this chapter then, so this is the first _real_ chapter we have in Loki's POV, which is the reason why it was split from the previous one (they could have been joined, but it splitting seemed better imo), and I felt she was due one. Other than that, I'm just glad the Expedition is over, and I had to pull alot of things from my ass that deviated from canon greatly (basically everything to do with Enyo and what he said), so I hope that won't turn you guys off, either.**

 **As always, if you enjoyed this chapter, leave a like (on SB), Fav/Follow (on FF), and reviews are welcome.**

 **Now, back to my original project.**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: You guys apparently liked the fluff? So here's some fluff. We're not going to be jumping into the Apollo Familia War straight off the bat. I think we can all use some nice, relaxing character dynamics after everything.**

 **Chapter 17: Return**

The good thing about homes was that they rarely, ever changed. The _Hostess of Familia_ looked exactly as Godou remembered. Mama Mia was wiping a mug at the counter when he came back. The waitresses were gossiping in the corner, with an excited Syr's voice being the loudest. He could hear his fellow chef, May, humming in the kitchen as she was preparing the ingredients needed for the evening.

They stopped what they were doing when he walked in.

Mama Mia grunted. "Welcome back, Godou. I hope you had fun."

He smiled at her. "I did," he said, and then hefted the large sack he was carrying and dumped it on to the table next to him. A dragon fang rolled out of it. "I brought souvenirs."

"Godou's back?" asked May, popping her head out of the kitchen door. When their eyes met, she let out a squeal and came bounding toward him, tackling him in a hug that stole his breath away from sheer surprise. "I'm glad you're safe," she said.

"I'm sorry for leaving all the work to you these past two weeks."

"It was fine," May said, letting go. "The customers complained my tonkatsu wasn't as good as yours."

"We'll have to fix that," Godou said.

Then May was almost shoved away by Syr, who went up to him and cupped his hands into her own.

"Is it true, Godou? Are you and Loki a thing? I heard there was a kiss, and lots of handholding, and a moving speech that brought everyone to tears!"

 _How_? They'd been back for less than an hour. "And where did that last one come from?" he asked. "Nobody was crying."

Syr's eyes widened as she stumbled backwards. Her hand rose to cover a gasp. "It _is_ true! Godou and Loki…Oh dear me, I have to tell someone!"

Then she was out the door.

"She's still on the clock," Mama Mia grumbled. Then she turned to him and grinned. "A goddess, huh. And Loki, no less. As expected of you, Godou. Any drinks she doesn't pay for will be coming from your paycheck."

Godou frowned. He'd have to pester Riveria to pay their Familia tab punctually from now on.

"Come on, Godou," May said, yanking on his shirt. She looked angry for some reason, refusing to meet his eyes. Her cat-ears twitched and her tail swished in the air agitatedly as she dragged him to the kitchen. "You've got a lot of dish-washing to catch up on."

Despite himself, Godou grinned. Some things never changed.

 **XxXxXxXxX**

Godou was a on a short break. Somehow, instead of actually resting, he found himself sitting with the Loki Familia, who occupied more than half the _Hostess_ in an obligatory celebration of the Expedition's success.

"What do you mean, _you're not joining the Familia_?" Loki said, her breath reeking of alcohol. "After everything we've gone through, you're still saying no?"

"Yep," Godou said. "I don't want to be an adventurer, Loki, and I really don't want to return to the Dungeon again. I like working here."

"You don't have to be an adventurer, or go back to the Dungeon," Loki said. "You can stay in the Familia house all day with me and do whatever you want!"

"Great," Finn said, "there'll be two of them."

There was a brief respite from Loki as she started scolding Finn. This felt nice. They were a good Familia—a real family. But he knew he could never be one of them. With Loki being the sole exception, he shared nothing in common with them. They were all thrill-seeking individuals who sought to challenge the impossible on a daily basis. Godou didn't want that kind of life.

"I think you just don't want to be with me," Loki said, crossing her arms.

Godou rolled his eyes. "I'm here sitting next to you, aren't I?"

That was an understatement. He and Loki were physically sharing a single seat—half his butt was hanging off the chair. The rest of the table was occupied by the core Expedition team. Their tense movements, lack of eye contact, and forced smiles told Godou all he needed to know. Most of them were still wary of him—more so than before. After what happened with Enyo, Godou couldn't blame them. And they _still_ didn't know what a Campione was.

"It's different," Loki said. "We're a lovey-dovey couple now. We're supposed to hold hands wherever we go, and you're supposed to buy me stuff and treat me like a princess, and we're supposed to be living in the same house!"

That sounded like it came from one of Liliana's books. Judging by how she was reacting to everyone's looks, Loki was only starting to realize how silly she sounded.

"I clearly need to do more research," Loki said. "Hestia must have lied to me."

Godou didn't think a goddess famous for staying a virgin was the right person to ask about relationships. Between him and Loki, he reluctantly admitted he probably had more experience in these kinds of things, and he needed to set the tone. "It's okay, Loki. We'll take things slow. Nobody's going anywhere."

"That's not true," Loki said. "We're going to Melen."

"What? Where's that?"

"It's a port city nearby. It has a beach. You know what that means, right? Swimsuits! We leave in two days."

"Sounds nice," Godou said. "Have fun, guys." It was good for the Familia to take a break together—they could use a vacation.

"Thanks, Godou. We will," Finn said.

"That's right. You and I are—wait! What do you mean, _have fun_? You're coming with us!"

"No, I'm not," Godou said. "I've already missed two weeks of work. I can't miss more, and there's no way Mama Mia is going to let me, anyway."

"But…but… Swimsuits!"

"Next time, Loki," Godou said. When the goddess began to look heartbroken, and Godou's chest tightened at seeing her lips quiver, he added, "and it'll only be you and me, too."

A warmth spread through him when Loki instantly brightened up. "I'll hold you to that."

Godou hoped he wouldn't regret his words. But Loki's hand wrapped around his under the table, and he had a feeling that things would turn out just fine.

 **XxXxXxXxX**

The best thing about having a normal job, Godou decided, was being able to return home at the same time—more or less—every day. On a good day, he could reach home at midnight. On the busiest, he'd stumble through his door exhausted, some time after four in the morning. Barring the Loki Familia, business today was average. He'd gotten off at two and looked forward to sleeping in his own bed for the first time in what felt like forever.

His hours were odd by regular standards, but that came with working in a tavern. But at least they were predictable.

What wasn't predictable was Loki waiting on the other side when he swung his door open.

'Welcome back, Godou!" she chimed. "Would you like a bath? Or some food Instead? Or maybe you'd like—"

Godou slammed the door back shut.

A few seconds later, he reopened it. Loki was still standing there, a bright smile on her face, with her eyes pressed into thin lines.

"How did you find this place, Loki?"

Even Godou had difficulty finding home sometimes. It was a small unit on the second floor of a narrow backalley on a street filled with narrow backalleys, and the only reason he'd found it while house-hunting was because he'd gotten lost.

"I asked Syr."

That explained it, even though he was sure he hadn't told Syr either. "What are you doing here?" he asked, despite already knowing the answer.

"Well, if you're not going to live with me, then I'm going to live with you!" Loki declared. "But man, this place is kind of a dump."

Godou frowned. Sure, it was spartan, with nothing in the main room except a sofa and a table. And maybe the view could have been better—staring at a grey slab of wall through his only window could be depressing at times. But this was his home; it was _his_ dump.

He sighed and entered. Loki closed the door after him. He could already tell that nothing short of brute force would chase the goddess away, and Godou wasn't sure his apartment could survive that kind of firepower being tossed around.

"I'm going to take a bath," Godou said. "And when I come out Loki, you'd better be wearing something more than just an apron."

 **XxXxXxXxX**

It turned out Loki had asked Syr for more than just his address. Once Godou told her never to ask Syr for any kind of advice again, he made a mental note to murder the girl when he saw her at work later.

"Where are you going?" Loki asked. She was lying on his bed, which was small and narrow and could not possibly fit the two of them while giving them a good night's sleep. She'd scooted all the way to the edge, pressing her body against the wall to make more room.

"I'm sleeping on the couch," Godou said. "You can have my bed."

Loki stared up at him with disbelief. "What happened to making out and the stuff that comes after? You know, just because I'm bad at this love stuff doesn't mean I'm clueless about everything. I was pretty wild in Heaven; I know how things work."

"I…" Godou paused. He wanted to do it. He was a man, and his instincts were telling him to just dive into the bed with Loki and do all kinds of things. But the same four faces kept popping up in his mind, and after the stunt Enyo pulled, he realized that even after a hundred years, the scars of losing them were still fresh. "I can't. Not yet."

Loki's face softened. "It's those four girls, isn't it? Ena, Liliana, Yuri, and Erica."

"You remember their names?"

"They seemed very important to you. So yes, I made sure to remember them."

"They were. They were the most important part of my life. And when I lost them, I lost myself. The years without them are a hazy blur to me. I wasn't alive, I just existed. When Death came for me, I welcomed Him with open arms. Then I came here, and it still feels a large part of me is missing."

"You still love them, don't you? The kind of love that I'm bad at."

"More than anything else in the world."

He wished Loki didn't look so hurt when he said it. She recoiled as if physically struck. But he didn't want to lie to her, or hide anything from her anymore. "I'm sorry," he said.

Loki kept quiet. For a long time, she seemed fixated with playing with her blanket, pulling and squeezing the fabric together. Godou sighed. It was time to call it a night, anyway.

"Tell me about them," Loki said. "What were they like? What made them angry, what made them laugh? They must have been amazing people, if you still love them to this day."

Godou hesitated. Loki was lying on her side, but she looked determined. Finally, he sat next to Loki. "The day I met Erica was the day I became a Campione…"

He told her. Everything he could remember, even the things he didn't want to. The way they had to kiss him to imbue him with their magic. Their little quirks and pet peeves. Their first nights with him. The way they fought by his side against unfightable foes. They way they died in his arms.

He nearly cried several times. Each time though, he would look at Loki's face, and see that she was putting up a brave front for him. Her stoic expression was a dam holding back an entire ocean of emotions.

He spoke until the Sun came up, and streams of yellow filtered through the little cracks in his window shades onto Loki's face. It made her smile all the more dazzling. It also made her unshed tears glisten.

"Thank you, Godou. For trusting me," she said.

"I'm sorry for making you hear all that. It couldn't have been easy. You can't replace them. You never can."

"I know," she said. "I think I knew the moment I saw your face in the Dungeon. When Enyo raised them for you, you made a face that I thought you were incapable of making."

"If you want to end things after hearing that, I'll understand."

"Don't be stupid, Godou." Loki rubbed her eyes, which made her attempt to look angry very pathetic. "I owe the four of them my thanks. They made you who you are today. They kept you happy in a time and place I could not. I'm not saying I can replace them, and I don't want to. They're them, and I'm me. They did things for you that I'll never be able to. But that doesn't mean I'm going to lose to them. I'm going to show you, Kusanagi Godou, that I can love you, and make you fall in love with me, as much as they could."

Something was making his chest stir. It hammered away in his ribcage, and Godou didn't know what to say. He didn't want to raise Loki's hopes up. He didn't want her to feel as if she had to compete with the four of them for his affection. But he knew Loki. Loki liked a challenge, and once she issued one, even to herself, she wouldn't back down.

"I hope you do, Loki," Godou said. "I really hope you do."

They went to sleep after that, and Godou kept his word to sleep on the sofa.

When he came back from the _Hostess_ the next day and Loki was there to greet him, he didn't say a word against it. They spent the night talking. He slept on the sofa again, but when he woke up and saw that Loki had moved her whole mattress out of his bedroom to sleep on the floor next to him, he had nearly choked.

The day after that, Loki and her Familia left for Melen. When Godou arrived home from work that day, he found himself pressing his nose against his pillow, wishing that the scent he was smelling was real and next to him.

 **A/N: So a short, transitional chapter while I start planning the next arc. As you can tell, since Loki and gang are in Melen, Godou will be interacting with other characters and gods, which is something a lot of you have been asking for. I'll try to update more frequently, too. At least once a month. Chapters might be a bit shorter though, because I'm starting to like my chapter lengths being 2k-6k long.**

 **As always, likes, favs, follows, reviews, comments are much loved and a great way to encourage me to write the next chapter a little faster.**


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